NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Hints and Answers Revealed

BOSTON, April 22, 2025 – The New York Times Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, No. 211, has garnered attention for its unique format and challenging clues. Released on April 21, the puzzle invites players to test their knowledge across various sports-related categories.

This edition of Connections has officially exited its beta phase since its debut on February 9, indicating a positive reception among its audience. The puzzle is now fully integrated into The Athletic‘s app, a subscription-based sports journalism platform under the Times umbrella, although it can still be accessed for free online.

For puzzle enthusiasts seeking assistance, Gael Cooper, a veteran journalist and pop-culture aficionado, provides hints and answers to navigate today’s game. Cooper, who has worked extensively in both local and national media, described the experience of solving Connections as a mix of triumph and frustration, stating that certain categories can be quite difficult.

“The usually tough purple category was OK for me today, but I had to let the blue category fill in itself, because it contained a word I’d never even seen before (Babolat),” she remarked.

The Connections puzzle comprises four distinct groups, each associated with a unique sports theme. For players looking for clues, the hints for the groups are ranked from easiest to the most enigmatic:

• Yellow group hint: Not footgear.
• Green group hint: City of Brotherly Love.
• Blue group hint: Think Venus and Serena Williams.
• Purple group hint: Spacey team names.

The answers corresponding to these hints include:

• Yellow group: Headgear (answers: hat, helmet, mask, visor).
• Green group: Philadelphia teams (answers: 76ers, Flyers, Phillies, Union).
• Blue group: Tennis racket brands (answers: Babolat, Head, Prince, Wilson).
• Purple group: Sports meets outer space (answers: Astros, Galaxy, Stars, Sun).

With a difficulty rating of 3.5 out of 5, the current puzzle tests players’ sports knowledge in various unexpected ways. For those wishing to tackle the latest challenge, the next puzzle will be available at midnight local time.

“Thanks for playing — and share your scores in the comments!” Cooper added, emphasizing the community aspect of engaging with the puzzle.

Readers interested in participating in future puzzles can access Tuesday’s game through The Athletic’s platform or the website. Time to gear up and dive into the world of sports puzzles!