Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints, Answers for Feb. 23, #153

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Connections: Sports Edition covers one of my favorite sports today — bowling. Is bowling a sport? Or a game, or a hobby or a retro pastime? Anyway, I love it. Read on for hints and the answers.

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 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.

Yellow group hint: Where you play.

Green group hint: Sport with funky shoes.

Blue group hint: 2025 Big Game.

Purple group hint: Outstanding in their fields.

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: Playing surface.

Green group: Bowling terms.

Blue group: Super Bowl LIX TD scorers.

Purple group: Fielders.

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 playing surface. The four answers are field, grounds, pitch and turf.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is bowling terms. The four answers are bumper, gutter, lane and pocket.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is Super Bowl LIX TD scorers. The four answers are Dejean, Hurts, Smith and Worthy.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is fielders. The four answers are catcher, Cecil, Prince and shortstop.