**Connections: Sports Edition – A New Challenge for Sports Fans**
*Connections: Sports Edition* offers a unique take on the popular [New York Times word game](https://www.nytimes.com/games/connections), aimed at testing the knowledge of sports fans.
Similar to the original *Connections*, this game invites players to find “shared themes among words.” Just like *Wordle*, [*Connections*](https://mashable.com/article/nyt-connections-hint-answer-today-december-7-2024) resets daily at midnight, with every new puzzle designed to become more difficult over time. If you find yourself in a bind, we have hints and strategies available for you—or you can scroll to the end of this article for today’s answer.
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### What Is *Connections: Sports Edition*?
The *New York Times* has collaborated with *The Athletic*, its sports-centric outlet, to introduce this new daily word challenge. Accessible on both web browsers and mobile devices, *Connections: Sports Edition* challenges players to arrange four words that have a shared theme.
Each puzzle features 16 words classified into four categories. These categories can include everything from sports accolades to team titles, and while some words might appear to fit in more than one group, there is only one correct answer. Correctly identifying all four words in a group eliminates them from the board, but incorrect selections count against you—players have a limit of four mistakes before the game concludes.
To assist players, there’s an option to shuffle the board, making it easier to discover connections. Each category is visually distinct based on difficulty: yellow (easiest), then green, blue, and purple. And similarly to *Wordle*, you can share your accomplishments with friends on social media.
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### Hints for Today’s *Connections: Sports Edition* Categories
Need a little guidance? Here are some clues for today’s categories:
– **Yellow:** Methods to move a ball
– **Green:** Honors in sports
– **Blue:** Teams with a renowned coach
– **Purple:** Linked to the NFL’s 2023 MVP
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### Today’s *Connections: Sports Edition* Categories
If you need extra assistance, check out today’s categories:
– **Yellow:** Move (a ball)
– **Green:** Awards
– **Blue:** Coached by John Calipari
– **Purple:** Related to Lamar Jackson
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### Today’s *Connections: Sports Edition* Solution
Ready for the solutions? Here’s your final opportunity to attempt the puzzle before we unveil the answers. Drumroll, please!
Here’s the solution to today’s *Connections: Sports Edition* #95:
– **Move (a ball):** BOWL, ROLL, SLING, SPIN
– **Awards:** BALLON D’OR, HEISMAN, LOMBARDI, VEZINA
– **Coached by John Calipari:** ARKANSAS, KENTUCKY, MEMPHIS, UMASS
– **Related to Lamar Jackson:** 8, LOUISVILLE, QUARTERBACK, RAVENS
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### Don’t Worry If You Missed It
If you weren’t able to solve today’s puzzle, don’t fret—there’s always another chance tomorrow! We’ll return with more hints and answers to assist you with your next challenge.
Looking for additional puzzles? Visit Mashable’s [games hub](https://games.mashable.com/) for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crosswords, and more. Or, if you’re engaging with *Wordle* or *Strands*, we’ve got you sorted with [today’s Wordle answer](https://mashable.com/article/wordle-today-answer-december-27-2024) and [Strands hints and solutions](https://mashable.com/article/strands-nyt-hint-december-27).
Happy puzzling!