Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints, Answers for Feb. 17, #147

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Connections: Sports Edition has a couple tricky categories today, especially the blue and purple. But maybe you know NBA scorers really well, or have an encyclopedic knowledge of the rules of all sports, in which case, you’ll ace this one. Read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is out of beta now, making its debut on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 9. That’s a sign that the game has earned enough loyal players that The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by the Times, will continue to publish it. It won’t show up in the NYT Games app but will appear in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can continue to play it 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: Destroy in a game.

Green group hint: Sports that share a similar piece of equipment.

Blue group hint: Two points isn’t enough for these players.

Purple group hint: Don’t start too early.