Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.
Today’s Connections: Sports Edition features some fun categories, and the purple is a stumper. If you’re struggling with the puzzle but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.
Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by The Times. It doesn’t appear in the NYT Games app, but it does in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it for 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: Which one do you want?
Green group hint: Gridiron locations.
Blue group hint: Hang ten, dude.
Purple group hint: Not ending.
Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups
Yellow group: Choose.
Green group: Areas on a football field.
Blue group: A surfer’s needs.
Purple group: Starting ____.
Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words
What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?
The completed NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for June 18, 2026.
The yellow words in today’s Connections
The theme is choose. The four answers are draft, pick, select and take.
The green words in today’s Connections
The theme is areas on a football field. The four answers are end zone, flat pocket and sideline.
The blue words in today’s Connections
The theme is a surfer’s needs. The four answers are board, ocean, wax and wetsuit.
The purple words in today’s Connections
The theme is starting ____. The four answers are grid, lineup, pitcher and XI.
