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 was a tricky one. If you're struggling with the puzzle but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by The Times. It doesn't appear in the NYT Games app, but it does in The Athletic's own app. Or you can play it for 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: Get away.

Green group hint: You can count on me.

Blue group hint: Iconic baseball players.

Purple group hint: Think balls and strikes.

Answers for today's Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: Move to evade a defender.

Green group: Dependable.

Blue group: Dodgers in the Baseball Hall of Fame, familiarly.

Purple group: Pitching ____.

Read more: The Best and Worst Letters for Wordle, According to the Data

What are today's Connections: Sports Edition answers?

The completed NYT Connections: Sports Edition for July 3, 2026.

NYT/Screenshot by CNET

The yellow words in today's Connections

The theme is move to evade a defender. The four answers are deke, juke, sidestep and spin.

The green words in today's Connections

The theme is dependable. The four answers are consistent, reliable, steady and unfailing.

The blue words in today's Connections

The theme is Dodgers in the Baseball Hall of Fame, familiarly. The four answers are Duke, Jackie, Pee Wee and Sandy.

The purple words in today's Connections

The theme is pitching ____. The four answers are coach, machine, staff and wedge.

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.

#1: Serie A Clubs. Answers: Atalanta, Juventus, Lazio, Roma.

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

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

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