Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle is a pretty tough one. That purple group lives up to its reputation as being almost impossible to solve. 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: NFL roles.

Green group hint: Get your racket.

Blue group hint: More than one point.

Purple group hint: Look at how they end.

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: Football positions.

Green group: Tennis shot descriptors.

Blue group: Worth two points/runs.

Purple group: Ends in a number.

What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is football positions.

The four answers are guard, linebacker, running back and tight end.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is tennis shot descriptors.

The four answers are backhand, drop, slice and smash.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is worth two points/runs.

The four answers are 2-run HR, layup, safety and wrestling reversal.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is ends in a number.

The four answers are Conine (nine), end zone (one), heavyweight (eight) and Witten (ten).

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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