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 might be tough. The purple category might be one of those where you have to just fill in the other categories and see what you end up with. 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: How you recognize your team.

Green group hint: Sport, but its name is also a Wisconsin city.

Blue group hint: Hockey team names with something in common.

Purple group hint: Think Shedeur’s dad.

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: A team’s symbol.

Green group: Associated with lacrosse.

Blue group: NHL teams with singular nicknames.

Purple group: Teams Deion Sanders has played for or coached.

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 a team’s symbol. The four answers are badge, crest, emblem and logo.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is associated with lacrosse. The four answers are cradling, crease, faceoff and ground ball.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is NHL teams with singular nicknames. The four answers are Minnesota, Seattle, Tampa Bay and Utah.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is teams Deion Sanders has played for or coached. The four answers are Colorado, Dallas, Jackson State and New York.

Toughest Connections: Sports Edition categories

The Connections: Sports Edition puzzle can be tough, but it really depends on which sports you know the most about. My husband aces anything having to do with Formula 1, my best friend is a hockey buff, and I can answer any question about Minnesota teams.

That said, it’s hard to pick the toughest Connections categories, but here are some I found exceptionally mind-blowing recently.

#1: Series A Clubs, Jan. 11. Answers: Atalanta, Juventus, Lazio, Roma.

#2: WNBA MVPs, Jan. 21. Answers: Catchings, Delle Donne, Fowles and Stewart.

#3: Premier League team nicknames, Jan. 17. Answers: Bees, Cherries, Foxes and Hammers.

#4: Homophones of NBA player names, Jan. 26. Answers: Barns, Connect, Heart and Hero.

When the Trump Organization announced its upcoming gold-hued T1 phone, it threw up a number of red flags for us. There was the poorly Photoshopped image along with technical claims that didn’t add up — including the boast that the phone would be “designed and built in the United States.” (That claim has since been walked back, without explanation.) The phone was originally expected to launch in September 2025, but there’s currently no confirmed release date.

To run the T1 phone, the organization also announced the Trump Mobile 47 Plan, a prepaid phone plan with unlimited text, calls and data, which appears to be active now. After looking at the specifics, we’ve concluded there are better options elsewhere. Let’s break it down.

Clever pricing, but better deals abound

The Trump T1 phone gives us flashbacks to the Freedom Phone, which launched in 2021 and was more of a political statement than a groundbreaking smartphone. But it’s the Trump Mobile phone service that seems like an odd fit in 2025. At a time when there are hundreds of mobile virtual network operators — think Mint Mobile or Google Fi — Trump Mobile is trying to break into a crowded market with a curious value proposition: pay $47.45 a month (a nod to Trump being the 45th and 47th president) for unlimited text, calls and data.

However, that’s just the base price. In a video titled I Signed Up for Trump Mobile So You Don’t Have To, internet personality Stetson Doggett discovered an additional hefty «plan telecom tax» of $14.52, bringing the monthly price up to $61.97 (and recurring autopay is automatically enabled).

You can find what’s included in the Trump Mobile 47 Plan for much cheaper with other wireless providers.

In fact, Liberty Wireless Mobile — the MVNO that powers Trump Mobile — offers the same service for just $40 a month. That includes 10GB of high-speed data, compared to 20GB with the 47 Plan, before speeds are likely throttled. But I haven’t used Liberty Wireless, and if the numerous instances of «Lorem ipsum» text on its FAQS page are any indication, it’s likely best to look elsewhere. 

Of course, Trump Mobile’s 47 Plan includes other perks that could help justify the higher price — such as telehealth sessions provided by Doctegrity (normally $29 a month) and roadside assistance through Drive America. That said, it’s unclear what services are covered or whether spending limits apply. The 47 Plan even includes «device protection» — which would be great, if not for the fine print clarifying that «device protection is not insurance.»

So could Trump Mobile be a good deal? If we ignore all the vagueness surrounding the 47 Plan, then maybe. But there are too many unknowns for us to recommend it. How much is an additional line? Does the 47 Plan include hotspot data? Is there an autopay discount? Do we get streaming service perks like with other carriers? Are there discounts for seniors? We reached out to Trump Mobile for clarification.

Luckily, between the three major US carriers and hundreds of US-based MVNOs, you have plenty of options. Here are a few wireless plans that are available now and offer a better price — or value — than Trump Mobile, from providers with strong track records for service. Be sure to also check out our list of best phone plans that cover other features and pricing.

Alternatives to Trump Mobile