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Basketball fans might get a slam dunk with the tougher categories in today’s Connections: Sports Edition. There’s a playful twist on tap for the purple group, so think creatively. 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: No athlete wants this.

Green group hint: Simone Biles territory.

Blue group hint: Popular name in the NBA.

Purple group hint: Caitlin Clark’s league, with a twist.

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: Take out of a game.

Green group: Gymnastics terms.

Blue group: NBA Kevins.

Purple group: WNBA teams, with the first letter changed.

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 take out of a game. The four answers are bench, pull, replace and sub.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is gymnastics terms. The four answers are handspring, round-off, salto and twist.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is NBA Kevins. The four answers are Durant, Garnett, Love and McHale.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is WNBA teams, with the first letter changed. The four answers are Cream, Fun, Lever and Rings.