Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle was a challenging one. Hope you know your golfers! If you’re struggling with the puzzle but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group hint: Big Apple hoops.

Green group hint: Not western teams.

Blue group hint: Fore!

Purple group hint: Kids do this with baseball cards.

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: New York basketball teams.

Green group: NL East teams.

Blue group: English golfers.

Purple group: Trade ____

What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is New York basketball teams.

The four answers are Knicks, Liberty, Nets and St. John’s.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is NL East teams.

The four answers are Braves, Mets, Nationals and Phillies.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is English golfers.

The four answers are (Matt) Fitzpatrick, (Tommy) Fleetwood, (Aaron) Rai and (Justin) Rose.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is trade ____.

The four answers are block, deadline, offer and rumors.

CNET editor Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, a journalist and pop-culture junkie, is co-author of “Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops? The Lost Toys, Tastes and Trends of the ’70s and ’80s,” as well as “The Totally Sweet ’90s.” She’s been a journalist since 1989, working at Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, Twin Cities Sidewalk, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and NBC News Digital. She’s Gen X in birthdate, word and deed. If Marathon candy bars ever come back, she’ll be first in line.

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