NYT Sports Connections Edition Hints and Answers for April 20, 2025

Another round, another set of codes has landed. The NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for April 20 is here, tagged as No. 209, and it has a mix of familiar and oddly paired themes. For those tuning into the Sports Edition, this one doesn’t push too hard—except for the purple pack, which keeps the quirky tradition alive.

NYT’s Sports Edition Connections isn’t just another word game anymore. It made its full entry out of beta on the grandest sports stage—Super Bowl Sunday. The placement wasn’t random. It signaled that enough people play this daily challenge to make it part of The Athletic’s staple content. It’s not on the NYT Games app, but can be found easily in The Athletic app or through the web, still free and ready.

Now, welcome the latest combo of today’s sports-themed categories. The format is the same—four groups, 16 words, one common link in each set.

The first group—yellow—shouted out athletic footwear. No curveballs here. All four options—boots, cleats, sneakers, spikes—landed smoothly. The theme fits squarely into any locker room. Nike would feel at home with that lineup.

Green brought in . Every piece of gear mentioned sparked up the image of cardio stations and fitness challenges. Elliptical, medicine ball, rowing machine, and treadmill created a complete mini home workout. No confusion, just the kind of equipment that stays in motion.

Then came blue, echoing pro football buzz. Each name popped from the AFC East. Buffalo, Miami, New England, and New York brought the NFL right onto the puzzle board. Fans of the division would’ve clocked that match-up in no time.

Purple offered the day’s wild card. All about nets—but not in one direction. This group crossed several and even boroughs. Basketball hoop, Brooklyn, soccer goal, and tennis courts. Not obvious, but a clever way to close out the set.

Connections thrives on blending logic with surprise. That’s part of the hook. No two carry the same pattern. Some words fake one theme before joining another. That’s what makes it tick—constant curveballs.

Players didn’t need to worry too much today. Once the three clear groups came together, the fourth solved itself. A neat run with fewer stumbles. No misleads that completely tricked the eye. Just a smooth collection of clues that linked well.

The to stand out by building puzzle energy around athletic themes. With each drop, it tailors wordplay to those who live inside stadium stats or sweat sessions. A new code every day, a new pattern to decode.

Those searching for today’s regular NYT Connections puzzle (#679) found a different vibe entirely. That version leaned into tie-dye kits, cracking things open, and phrases ending in “Hop.” But the Sports Edition stands alone with its own rhythm, its own daily theme, and a growing base of devoted players.

Connections has built its name through short mental sprints. Four tries, sixteen words, one click at a time. One mistake can feel like a slip, but success in the game often comes with that “aha” moment. The sport-themed version keeps the pace going, just with more cleats and end zones.

Tomorrow brings a fresh pack. Another Sunday, another mix to untangle. Codes keep changing. Players keep chasing. It’s wordplay with locker room energy. And it doesn’t slow down.

Some days bring logic. Others bring weirdness. But never fails to challenge or surprise. Tomorrow waits with new categories and clues.