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Today’s Connections: Sports Edition has some oddball categories that I wouldn’t really consider sports. They’re more like games, and hobbies or leisure activities. But you get the idea. Read on for hints and the answers.
Connections: Sports Edition is out of beta now, making its debut on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 9. That’s a sign that the game has earned enough loyal players that The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by the Times, will continue to publish it. It doesn’t show up in the NYT Games app but now appears in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can continue to play it free online.
Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta
Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups
Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.
Yellow group hint: Reel it in.
Green group hint: 21.
Blue group hint: Between the bases.
Purple group hint: Score!
Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups
Yellow group: Fishing terms.
Green group: Options in blackjack.
Blue group: MLB shortstops.
Purple group: ____ goal.
Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words
What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?
The completed NYT Connections: Sports Edition for June 28, 2025, #278.
NYT/Screenshot by CNET
The yellow words in today’s Connections
The theme is fishing terms. The four answers are bait, hook, rod and tackle.
The green words in today’s Connections
The theme is options in blackjack. The four answers are double down, hit, split and stand.
The blue words in today’s Connections
The theme is MLB shortstops. The four answers are Betts, Story, Volpe and Witt.
The purple words in today’s Connections
The theme is ____ goal. The four answers are empty net, field, golden and own.
Toughest Connections: Sports Edition categories
The Connections: Sports Edition puzzle can be tough, but it really depends on which sports you know the most about. My husband aces anything having to do with Formula 1, my best friend is a hockey buff, and I can answer any question about Minnesota teams.
That said, it’s hard to pick the toughest Connections categories, but here are some I found exceptionally mind-blowing recently.
#1: Series A Clubs, Jan. 11. Answers: Atalanta, Juventus, Lazio, Roma.
#2: WNBA MVPs, Jan. 21. Answers: Catchings, Delle Donne, Fowles and Stewart.
#3: Premier League team nicknames, Jan. 17. Answers: Bees, Cherries, Foxes and Hammers.
#4: Homophones of NBA player names, Jan. 26. Answers: Barns, Connect, Heart and Hero.
