Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints, Answers for December 14, #82

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I’m quite familiar with the sport, but… Connections: Sports Edition is by far the hardest of the New York Times Games puzzles I play regularly. For now, the game is in beta, meaning the Times is testing it to see if it’s popular before adding it to the site’s Games app. You’ll be able to play it for free daily for the next few weeks – and then we’ll have to see if it sticks. I’m doing well in the sports version, but I think there are a few I might be better at, like movies, music, or a TV-themed puzzle. This is all to say that even though I would have grouped the blue answers together, I would never in a million years have chosen the theme that tied them together.

Read more: NYT has a Connections game for sports fans. I tried it

Tips 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 difficult (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: I’m so excited.

Green group hint: H-city.

Blue group hint: Be like Mike.

Purple group hint: Not the front, but…

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: Hype

Green group: Houston sports teams

Blue group: Teams that Michael Jordan defeated in the NBA Finals

Purple group: ____ back

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here are the most popular letters used in English words

What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is hype. The four answers are anticipation, ballyhoo, build-up and buzz.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is Houston sports teams. The four answers are Cougars, Dash, Dynamo and Rockets.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is the teams that Michael Jordan defeated in the NBA finals. The four answers are Jazz, Lakers, Supersonics and Trailblazers.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is ____ back. The four answers are corner, defensive, full and running.