Today's Connections: Sports Edition is for people who know the big fella.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier — so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

What is Connections: Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake — players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Plays in the Old Line State

• Green: The Big Fella

• Blue: Robert Redford movie

• Purple: Driver

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Maryland Teams

• Green: Shaquille O'Neal Nicknames

• Blue: Associated with "The Natural"

• Purple: Sports That Have a Driver

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections: Sports Edition #516 is…

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Maryland Teams – MIDSHIPMEN, ORIOLES, RAVENS, TERRAPINS

• Shaquille O'Neal Nicknames – BIG ARISTOTLE, DIESEL, SHAQ, SUPERMAN

• Associated with "The Natural" – BASEBALL, HOBBS, KNIGHTS, WONDERBOY

• Sports That Have a Driver – BOBSLED, F1, GOLF, WATER POLO

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new sports Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.

TL;DR: Live stream Atalanta vs. Napoli in Serie A for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Napoli desperately need to string some positive results together if they want to reduce Inter's lead at the top of the Serie A standings. Napoli are the defending champions, but they find themselves 11 points behind the leaders going into their all-important clash with Atalanta.

Atalanta are back in seventh position, but they'll have their sights firmly set on breaking into the top six. A win at home to Napoli could help them leapfrog Como into European qualification spots. We're expecting an entertaining contest between two sides stacked with talent.

If you want to watch Atalanta vs. Napoli in Serie A for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Atalanta vs. Napoli?

Atalanta vs. Napoli in Serie A kicks off at 9 a.m. ET on Feb. 22. This fixture takes place at the Stadio di Bergamo.

How to watch Atalanta vs. Napoli for free

Atalanta vs. Napoli in Serie A is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.

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Credit: ExpressVPN

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TL;DR: Live stream New Zealand vs. Pakistan in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 for free on ICC.TV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2026 T20 World Cup is moving onto its next stage. We've all greatly enjoyed the group stage over the last couple of weeks, but it's time for the intensity to ramp up. We're now at the Super 8 stage, with only eight teams left to battle it out for a place in the semi finals.

New Zealand vs. Pakistan is the first game from this stage of the competition. Both sides finished second in their respective groups. Pakistan lost out to India. New Zealand were beaten by South Africa. Does that matter now? Absolutely not. Pakistan, Sri Lanka, England, and New Zealand are all in the same group, with only the top two teams moving on.

If you want to watch New Zealand vs. Pakistan in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is New Zealand vs. Pakistan?

New Zealand vs. Pakistan in the 2026 T20 World Cup starts at 8:30 a.m. ET on Feb. 21. This game takes place at the R. Premadasa Cricket Stadium.

How to watch New Zealand vs. Pakistan for free

New Zealand vs. Pakistan in the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup is available to live stream for free on ICC.TV.

This free live stream on ICC.TV is only available in select regions (see full list of territories here), but anyone can live stream the T20 Cricket World Cup for free with a VPN. These helpful tools can hide your IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in a location with free access. This simple process bypasses geo-restrictions so you can live stream on ICC.TV from anywhere in the world.

Live stream New Zealand vs. Pakistan in the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup for free by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with access

4. Visit ICC.TV

5. Watch the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window

Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch every game from the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup (plus the Winter Olympics) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for ICC.TV?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on ICC.TV, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Watch the 2026 T20 World Cup for free with ExpressVPN.