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Need help with NYT Connections: Sports Edition #439? The December 6, 2025 puzzle’s teaser hints are “The big leagues,” “Alma mater,” “Hoops stars,” and “2004 sports comedy.” The full groups and all 16 answers appear below, so stop before the spoiler section if you want to keep solving.
Hints for Connections: Sports Edition #439
Try matching each clue to a broad sports connection before looking for the exact category. These four hints, reported by Parade’s December 6, 2025 guide, move from general to more specific:
- The big leagues: Think of professional teams whose names begin with the same letter.
- Alma mater: Look for colleges in the same NCAA division.
- Hoops stars: Consider celebrated basketball players.
- 2004 sports comedy: Recall a comedy built around dodgeball and its familiar five-part mantra.
Spoilers: categories and answers
The puzzle has four groups of four words, following the Connections format. The category labels and solution below are reported by Parade.
| Category | Answers |
|---|---|
| Pro teams whose names start with D | DEVILS, DIAMONDBACKS, DOLPHINS, DREAM |
| Division I colleges | DARTMOUTH, DAYTON, DEPAUL, DUKE |
| Basketball Hall of Famers | DIVAC, DONOVAN, DREXLER, DUNCAN |
| Five Ds of Dodgeball | DIP, DIVE, DODGE, DUCK |
How Connections: Sports Edition works
The New York Times Help Center describes Connections: Sports Edition as “the sports version of the word game Connections, brought to solvers by The Athletic.” Players sort 16 words into four groups of four that share a theme. Sports Edition uses the same rules as the regular game. The Help Center lists access through NYT Games and The Athletic’s websites and apps, and says Sports Edition does not have an archive: NYT Games Help Center.
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Because #439 is a past daily puzzle and Sports Edition has no archive, the official Help Center does not indicate that this issue can be replayed there.
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