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Today's Connections: Sports Edition is tough. The purple category does that thing where the editors chop up a team name and expect you to find it. If you're struggling but still want to solve it, 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: Take me out to the ball game.
Green group hint: City of Brotherly Love.
Blue group hint: You want a high pick.
Purple group hint: Southern group of teams.
Answers for today's Connections: Sports Edition groups
Yellow group: Materials found on a baseball field.
Green group: Philadelphia teams.
Blue group: Words that precede "draft."
Purple group: Starts of SEC team names.
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 puzzle for Aug. 31, 2025.
NYT/Screenshot by CNETThe yellow words in today's Connections
The theme is materials found on a baseball field. The four answers are chalk, dirt, grass and rubber.
The green words in today's Connections
The theme is Philadelphia teams. The four answers are Eagles, Flyers, Temple and Union.
The blue words in today's Connections
The theme is words that precede "draft." The four answers are fantasy, mock, NFL and snake.
The purple words in today's Connections
The theme is starts of SEC team names. The four answers are Bull, Gato, Soon and Wild. (Mississippi State Bulldogs, Florida Gators, Oklahoma Sooners and Kentucky Wildcats.)
