**Connections: Sports Edition – A Fresh Challenge for Sports Aficionados**

*Connections: Sports Edition* marks the newest extension of the well-loved [*New York Times* word game](https://www.nytimes.com/games/connections), aimed at challenging the knowledge of sports fans.

Similar to the original *Connections*, this game prompts players to discover “common threads among words.” Like *Wordle*, [*Connections*](https://mashable.com/article/nyt-connections-hint-answer-today-december-28-2024) resets daily at midnight, with each puzzle increasing in difficulty. If today’s puzzle is proving challenging, we offer some hints and tactics to assist, or feel free to jump to the conclusion of this article for the solutions.

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### What Is *Connections: Sports Edition*?

This new daily word challenge from the *New York Times* is created in partnership with *The Athletic*, the publication’s sports-centric platform. Accessible via web browsers and mobile devices, *Connections: Sports Edition* invites players to categorize four words that have a shared connection.

Each puzzle features 16 words organized into four groups. These groups can include anything from sports teams to player nicknames, or even broader subjects like book titles or nations. While certain words might appear to fit into multiple categories, only one accurate solution exists for each cluster.

When players successfully group four words, those terms are taken off the board. However, incorrect guesses are counted as mistakes, allowing players up to four errors before the game concludes. To facilitate gameplay, players can rearrange the board to better identify connections. Each group is color-coded by level of difficulty: yellow (easiest), followed by green, blue, and purple. Similar to *Wordle*, players can share their outcomes on social media to compare with friends.

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### Hints for Today’s *Connections: Sports Edition* Categories

Looking for a hint? Here are some clues for today’s categories:

– **Yellow:** Have a brawl
– **Green:** Nicknames for teams based in Massachusetts
– **Blue:** Names of soccer teams
– **Purple:** Notable lineup of players from Houston’s baseball squad

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### Today’s *Connections: Sports Edition* Categories Unveiled

Still puzzled? Here’s a summary of today’s categories:

– **Yellow:** Combat
– **Green:** Abbreviated names for teams from Boston
– **Blue:** Nicknames of Premier League teams
– **Purple:** Astros “Killer B’s”

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### The Answers to Today’s *Connections: Sports Edition*

Eager for the solutions? Here are the answers for *Connections: Sports Edition* #116:

– **Combat:** BATTLE, BOX, BRAWL, SPAR
– **Abbreviated names for teams from Boston:** B’S, C’S, PATS, SOX
– **Nicknames of Premier League teams:** BEES, CHERRIES, FOXES, HAMMERS
– **Astros “Killer B’s”:** BAGWELL, BELL, BERKMAN, BIGGIO

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Don’t be discouraged if you didn’t solve it this time—tomorrow’s puzzle awaits your attention! We’ll return with additional hints and answers to assist you.

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### Seeking More Games?

If you enjoy puzzles, [Mashable’s games hub](https://games.mashable.com/) features Mahjong, Sudoku, free crosswords, and more. Additionally, if you’re diving into *NYT Strands*, [discover today’s hints and answers here](https://mashable.com/article/strands-nyt-hint-january-17).

Missed yesterday’s *Connections*? [Find the answer here](https://mashable.com/article/nyt-connections-hint-answer-today-january-17-2025).