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Today’s Connections: Sports Edition is a fun one. Is it just me, or was this easier than normal? If you’re struggling but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.
Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by The Times. It doesn’t show up in the NYT Games app but appears in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it for 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: Say uncle!
Green group hint: Layup is another one.
Blue group hint: You wear it on your head.
Purple group hint: Jack and Jill went up this.
Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups
Yellow group: Give up.
Green group: Shots in basketball.
Blue group: Parts of a hat.
Purple group: ____ hill.
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 Oct. 17, 2025.
The yellow words in today’s Connections
The theme is give up. The four answers are allow, concede, surrender and yield.
The green words in today’s Connections
The theme is shots in basketball. The four answers are dunk, finger roll, hook and jumper.
The blue words in today’s Connections
The theme is parts of a hat. The four answers are bill, button, closure and eyelet.
The purple words in today’s Connections
The theme is ____ hill. The four answers are Chapel, Chestnut, Grant and Rich.
