NYT Connections: Sports Edition for December 12 (#445)

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Dec. 12 (#445)

I played today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle earlier today, and this one definitely had a few goofy entries that slowed me down. If you also struggled to sort the words into groups, you’re not alone — the blue and purple categories were especially tricky. If you want a few hints or just want to check your answers, here’s a simple breakdown.

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🔎 Hints for Today’s Connections: Sports Edition Groups

Here are clue-style hints for the four color groups, starting from easiest:

🟡 Yellow Group Hint: “A night out.”

Think of games you might play in a bar.

🟢 Green Group Hint: “What’s the score?”

These relate to ways people keep up with a game.

🔵 Blue Group Hint: “Hit lightly.”

Terms used for softly-hit baseballs.

🟣 Purple Group Hint: “Woof!”

This one relates to dogs — specifically groups used in dog shows.

If the hints weren’t enough, the full groups are below.

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🧩 Today’s Sports Edition Answers

🟡 Yellow Group — Bar Games

• darts
• pool
• pop-a-shot
• shuffleboard

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🟢 Green Group — Ways to Catch Up on the Game

• box score
• highlights
• replay
• story

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🔵 Blue Group — Descriptors for a Softly Hit Baseball

• blooper
• dribbler
• duck snort
• Texas leaguer

This set was the hardest for me — baseball terminology can get very specific.

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🟣 Purple Group — Dog Show Groups

• sporting
• terrier
• toy
• working

The purple group theme wasn’t obvious at first, but once “terrier” and “working” lined up, the category made sense.

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💭 Quick Thoughts on Today’s Puzzle

Today’s Sports Edition was fun but unpredictable. The yellow and green groups were straightforward, but the baseball and dog-show themes required some guessing. If you solved it cleanly, great job — this one was tougher than usual.

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⭐ FAQ – NYT Connections: Sports Edition

1. What is today’s Sports Edition theme?

There isn’t a single theme — each color group has its own category (bar games, baseball terms, dog show groups, etc.).

2. What was the hardest category today?

Most players will likely find the blue group, which contains obscure baseball terms, the toughest.

3. How is Sports Edition different from regular Connections?

Sports Edition focuses only on sports-related categories and is published by The Athletic, not the main NYT Games app.

4. What time does Connections: Sports Edition reset?

It resets at midnight local time, just like the regular puzzle.

5. Do all players get the same Sports Edition puzzle?

Yes — the puzzle is identical for everyone each day.