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.

Connections: Sports Edition has a fun purple category. Once you see the connection, you’ll assemble that one easily enough. 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: Think Venus and Serena Williams.

Green group hint: Protect your head on the gridiron.

Blue group hint: Hoopster Bruins.

Purple group hint:  A certain color.

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: Tennis lingo.

Green group: Parts of a football helmet.

Blue group: UCLA basketball alumni.

Purple group: Orange things.

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 tennis lingo. The four answers are ace, deuce, fault and let.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is parts of a football helmet. The four answers are chin strap, face mask, pads and shell.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is UCLA basketball alumni. The four answers are Holiday, Lavine, Love and Westbrook.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is orange things. The four answers are basketball, football pylon, Netherlands and Syracuse.