NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Sept. 15 (#357)

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for September 15, 2025, has been released. Puzzle number 357 brings a mix of tricky categories and wordplay. Players had to link words into four correct groups, each tied to sports themes.

The Athletic, owned by The New York Times, publishes this special edition of Connections. It does not appear in the NYT Games app but can be played through The Athletic app or its website.

NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints for Sept. 15

The puzzle had four groups with different difficulty levels. Each came with a theme that tested sports fans’ memory and knowledge.

Yellow Group Hint: Celebrity.

Green Group Hint: Museums honoring stars.

Blue Group Hint: Developmental hoops.

Purple Group Hint: Football teams with letters removed.

According to official details, the easiest set was the yellow group, while the purple group gave the toughest challenge.

NYT Connections: Sports Edition Answers for Sept. 15

Here are the completed groups for today’s game:

Yellow Group – A revered star: great, icon, legend, superstar.

Green Group – Hall of Fame locations: Canton, Cooperstown, Springfield, Toronto.

Blue Group – G League teams: Blue Coats, Charge, Go-Go, Vipers.

Purple Group – NFL teams (minus two letters): Bea, Brow, Falco, Rave (Bears, Browns, Falcons, Ravens).

This mix of player honors, Hall of Fame sites, basketball development squads, and shortened NFL team names gave players a complete workout.

Tips for Playing NYT Connections: Sports Edition

Fans often fall for quick matches, but experts suggest patience. Words may belong to more than one group.

Think about second meanings. Many entries are last names or city names tied to famous athletes or sports teams.

The Athletic notes that words like “Hurts” can look normal but also point to a pro player. That double meaning is a classic trick of the game.

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition was labeled as tough, with many players finding the purple NFL category especially confusing. Still, the game rewards slow and careful linking.

FYI (keeping you in the loop)-

Q1: What is NYT Connections: Sports Edition?

It is a sports-themed version of the daily NYT Connections puzzle. It is published by The Athletic, not the NYT Games app.

Q2: Where can I play NYT Connections: Sports Edition?

It is available in The Athletic app and on its website. It is not found in the regular NYT Games app.

Q3: What were today’s yellow group answers?

The yellow group theme was a revered star. The answers were great, icon, legend, and superstar.

Q4: Which group was the hardest today?

The purple group was hardest. It used NFL team names with two letters missing, such as Bea for Bears.

Q5: How often is the Sports Edition puzzle released?

It is published daily by The Athletic, just like the regular NYT Connections puzzle.