Today's NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for June 21, #271
Here are the answers for today's Connections: Sports Edition.
Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today's Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.
Today's Connections: Sports Edition is a puzzler. Think about logos you've seen on uniform designs, and you'll solve the blue category. Read on for hints and the answers.
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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.
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Yellow group hint: That hurts.
Green group hint: Sparks and Sun also fit.
Blue group hint: Look closely at the uniforms.
Purple group hint: Bette and Sammy, outside of sports.
Answers for today's Connections: Sports Edition groups
Yellow group: Soreness.
Green group: WNBA teams.
Blue group: Items in MLB team logos.
Purple group: ____ Davis.
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 Saturday, June 21, 2025.
The yellow words in today's Connections
The theme is soreness. The four answers are ache, discomfort, spasm and twinge.
The green words in today's Connections
The theme is WNBA teams. The four answers are Fever, Lynx, Mystics and Storm.
The blue words in today's Connections
The theme is items in MLB team logos. The four answers are halo, Liberty Bell, skyline and socks.
The purple words in today's Connections
The theme is ____ Davis. The four answers are Anthony, Baron, Chili and Crash.
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.
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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.

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