Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints, Answers for Oct. 8 #380
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Today’s Connections: Sports Edition has a very un-American term in the supposedly easy yellow category. It’s a word I associate with movies, not sports, and I would never have known the sports reference. If you’re struggling but still want to solve the puzzle, read on for tips and answers.
Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by The Times. It does not appear in the NYT Games app but does appear in Athletics’ own app. Or you can play it for free online.
Learn more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle exits beta
Tips for Connections Today: Sports Publishing Groups
Here are four tips for groupings in today’s connections: Sports Edition Puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the hard (and sometimes weird) purple group.
Yellow group index: Chief.
Green Group Index: The best choices.
Blue group index: Nostalgic names.
Purple group index: Favorite letter of the cookie monster.
Answers for Today’s Connections: Sports Publishing Groups
Yellow group: Leader of a team.
Green group: No. 1 points in the NFL Draft
Blue group: Former MLB team names
Purple group: What “C” could mean.
Learn more: Wordle cheat sheet: here are the most popular letters used in English words
What are Today’s Connections: Sports Edition Answers?
NYT Connections Complete: Puzzle Sports Edition for October 8, 2025.
Yellow words in today’s connections
The theme is the leader of a team. The four answers are coach, gaffer, manager and skipper.
Green words in today’s connections
The theme is No. 1 NFL Draft picks. The four answers are Carr, Couch, Luck and Manning.
Blue words in today’s connections
The theme is old MLB team names. The four answers are browns, exhibitions, pilots and senators.
Purple words in today’s connections
The theme is what “C” could mean. The four answers are captain, catcher, Celtics and center.
