**Connections: Sports Edition – A Fresh Challenge for Sports Aficionados**
*Connections: Sports Edition* is an exhilarating offshoot of the well-known [New York Times word game](https://www.nytimes.com/games/connections), created to evaluate the expertise of sports fans.
Similar to the original *Connections*, this game encourages players to discover the “shared links between words.” Like *Wordle*, [*Connections*](https://mashable.com/article/nyt-connections-hint-answer-today-december-28-2024) resets each day at midnight, with every new puzzle becoming increasingly difficult. If you find yourself at an impasse, we have hints and tactics to assist you.
Should you be looking for today’s solution, navigate to the end of this article. However, if you’d prefer to solve the puzzle independently, continue reading for guidance and clues.
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### What Is *Connections: Sports Edition*?
This newest daily word game from *The New York Times* is a partnership with *The Athletic*, the Times’ sports-oriented media. [*Connections*](https://mashable.com/article/nyt-connections-hint-answer-today-february-21-2024) can be accessed via both web browsers and mobile devices. The goal? Group four words that have a common link.
Each puzzle features 16 words, classified into four categories. These categories may include anything from sports terminology to literary titles, software, or even country names. Although many words may appear to connect, each set has only one correct arrangement.
When players successfully identify all four words in a category, those words are taken off the board. Conversely, incorrect selections are counted as errors, allowing players up to four mistakes before the game concludes.
To simplify the challenge, players can shuffle the board to rearrange the words, facilitating the discovery of connections. Each category is color-coded by difficulty: yellow (easiest), followed by green, blue, and purple. Much like *Wordle*, you can share your outcomes with friends on social media.
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### Hints for Today’s *Connections: Sports Edition* Categories
Need a little assistance without revealing the answers? Here’s a collection of hints for today’s categories:
– **Yellow:** Terms related to pool tables
– **Green:** Represent a college conference
– **Blue:** Drafted first in football picks
– **Purple:** Associated with a color
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### Today’s *Connections: Sports Edition* Categories
Still struggling? Here’s a detailed view of today’s categories:
– **Yellow:** *Terms from billiards*
– **Green:** *Schools in the ACC*
– **Blue:** *First names of the last four No. 1 NFL draft choices*
– **Purple:** *Types of blues*
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### The Solution to Today’s *Connections: Sports Edition* Puzzle
Ready for the answers? Here’s the solution for today’s *Connections: Sports Edition* #130:
– **Billiards terms:** *BREAK, CUE, SCRATCH, ENGLISH*
– **ACC schools:** *CAL, DUKE, MIAMI, VIRGINIA*
– **First names of last four No. 1 NFL draft picks:** *BRYCE, CALEB, TRAVON, TREVOR*
– **Types of blues:** *CHELSEA, FRANCE, ST. LOUIS, VIDA*
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If you weren’t able to solve it this time, don’t fret! A new *Connections* puzzle will be available for you tomorrow, and we will return with more hints and solutions to assist you.
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### Seeking More Games?
If you enjoy puzzles, visit Mashable’s [games hub](https://games.mashable.com/) for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crosswords, and much more. And if you are also engaging with *NYT Strands*, [check out today’s hints and answers](https://mashable.com/article/strands-nyt-hint-january-31).
Missed out on yesterday’s *Connections*? [Here’s the answer to yesterday’s puzzle](https://mashable.com/article/nyt-connections-hint-answer-today-january-31-2025).