Today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle from The New York Times focuses on the Winter Olympics and broader sporting themes. This edition, published through The Athletic, presents a challenging word association game. For those seeking assistance, here are the hints and solutions for the February 22nd (#517) puzzle.
Understanding the Puzzle
Connections requires players to group sixteen words into four categories of four, based on shared themes. The difficulty varies, with yellow groups being the easiest and purple groups the most obscure.
Hints for Each Category
The puzzle’s categories are as follows:
- Yellow: These words all relate to upcoming locations where major sporting events will be held.
- Green: This category focuses on prominent athletes within a specific sport.
- Blue: This group represents elements commonly associated with athletic achievement.
- Purple: This is the most abstract grouping, requiring lateral thinking about common phrases.
Full Solutions
Here are the complete answers, broken down by color category:
- Yellow (Future Olympic Hosts): Brisbane, French Alps, Los Angeles, Utah. These represent cities and regions bidding to or preparing for future Olympic Games.
- Green (US Women’s Hockey Players): Carpenter, Keller, Knight, Winn. These are four players who have represented the United States in international women’s hockey competitions.
- Blue (Part of an Olympic Medal Celebration): Anthem, Medal, Podium, Stuffed Animal. These are common elements found at Olympic award ceremonies.
- Purple (____ Line): Blue, Fall, Finish, Hog. This category references the phrase “finish line,” a well-known term in racing.
Playing the Game
The Connections: Sports Edition puzzle is available through The Athletic app or via free online play. It differs from the standard NYT Games lineup, but offers a similar daily logic challenge.
The puzzle’s success lies in its ability to test lateral thinking. If you’re a regular player, expect new challenges as the games continue.
