Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints, Answers for Feb. 27, #157

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Do you know how NFL draft prospects are evaluated? If not, Connections: Sports Edition might be tough today. 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 own 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: Behind the plate

Green group hint: Put me in, Coach.

Blue group hint: Prepping for the pros

Purple group hint: Sports sanction

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: A catcher’s equipment

Green group: Backups

Blue group: NFL draft tests and evaluations

Purple group: Results of a penalty

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 a catcher’s equipment. The four answers are chest protector, glove, mask and shin guards.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is backups. The four answers are bench, depth, reserves and substitutes.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is NFL draft tests and evaluations. The four answers are 40-yard dash, interview, three-cone drill and vertical jump.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is results of a penalty. The four answers are free throw, loss of yards, power play and yellow card.