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 is tough. I played some darts in bars back in the day, but I didn’t know very much about the game, apparently. 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: Whack!

Green group hint: Sunshine State.

Blue group hint: Popular bar game.

Purple group hint: They have halos.

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: Used to hit a ball.

Green group: A South Florida athlete.

Blue group: Darts terms.

Purple group: Angels to win MVP.

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 used to hit a ball. The four answers are bat, club, paddle and racket.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is a South Florida athlete. The four answers are Buccaneer, Dolphin, Marlin and Panther.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is darts terms. The four answers are Big Fish, Bull’s-Eye, Nine-Darter and Oche.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is Angels to win MVP. The four answers are Baylor, Guerrero, Ohtani and Trout.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

---

Today’s Mini Crossword was a tough one for me! I struggled with 7-Across and 3-Down especially. Need some help? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times’ games collection. If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue:  Feeling extremely happy
Answer: JOYFUL

7A clue: Wake from sleep
Answer: AROUSE

8A clue: Brand of cinnamon-flavored chewing gum
Answer: BIGRED

9A clue: Talk and talk and talk
Answer: GAB

10A clue: Bengal, colt or dolphin
Answer: ANIMAL

13A clue: TV show ending
Answer: FINALE

14A clue: Rook, to a chess newbie
Answer: CASTLE

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Quick boxing punch
Answer: JAB

2D clue: Beginnings
Answer: ORIGINS

3D clue: Where you might strike a pose?
Answer: YOGAMAT

4D clue: Nickname for a fuzzy cat
Answer: FURBALL

5D clue: One of many for white vinegar
Answer: USE

6D clue: Was winning
Answer: LED

10D clue: The Bengals, Colts and Dolphins play in it: Abbr
Answer: AFC

11D clue: ___ DaCosta, director of 2023’s “The Marvels”
Answer: NIA

12D clue: Harper who wrote “To Kill a Mockingbird”
Answer: LEE