Get ready to level up your daily routine with the newest addition to the New York Times games lineup – Connections Sports Edition! For those of us who are already hooked on games like Wordle, Connections, Strands, and the Mini Crossword, this sports-specific version is the perfect way to challenge ourselves and have some fun.
Today’s Connections Sports Edition puzzle for Sunday, December 21, 2025, is waiting for you to dive in and show off your sports knowledge. As the clock strikes 12 a.m. EST, a new set of 16 words is released each day, grouped into different categories. It’s your task to decipher the connections between each group of four words within the categories.
Created in partnership between The New York Times and The Athletic, Connections Sports Edition focuses on grouping sports terms that share a common theme. It’s a fresh twist on the classic Connections word puzzle that fans have come to love.
If you’re in need of some hints to tackle today’s categories, we’ve got you covered:
Yellow: Think about what you throw or hit.
Green: Consider teams from Oklahoma.
Blue: Picture yourself on the ice.
Purple: What’s the opposite of empty?
Ready for more clues? Here are the actual categories for today’s Connections Sports Edition:
Yellow: SPORTS PROJECTILES
Green: OKLAHOMA TEAMS
Blue: PWHL TEAMS
Purple: FULL ____
And now, the moment you’ve been waiting for – the answers to today’s Connections Sports Edition #454 puzzle:
SPORTS PROJECTILES: BALL, FRISBEE, PUCK, SHUTTLECOCK
OKLAHOMA TEAMS: COWBOYS, GOLDEN HURRICANE, SOONERS, THUNDER
PWHL TEAMS: FROST, GOLDENEYES, SCEPTRES, VICTOIRE
FULL ____: BACK, COUNT, HOUSE, TIME
Don’t worry if you didn’t crack the code this time. The joy is in the challenge, and there’s always tomorrow’s puzzle to look forward to!
As you continue to test your word game skills, remember to enjoy the journey and have fun unraveling the connections each day brings. Happy puzzling!
Peace Nero is a writer and blogger who loves to explore different topics of self-development. She shares her personal experiences in order to help people discover their true purpose in life.