Today's NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for April 12, #201

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Connections: Sports Edition is still the toughest NYT puzzle for me every day. Sometimes, the topics feel like a bit of a reach as far as sports go, and today's yellow group is a good example. The purple group is a good reminder that some athletes have names that are also regular words, so they can trick you. 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 doesn't show up in the NYT Games app but now appears 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

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: Think Nike.

Green group hint: En garde!

Blue group hint: Wonderboy in The Natural.

Purple group hint: Hoopster stars.

Yellow group: Parts of a sneaker.

Green group: Fencing terms.

Blue group: Baseball bat materials.

Purple group: Last four WNBA finals MVPs.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

The theme is parts of a sneaker. The four answers are eyelet, laces, sole and tongue.

The theme is fencing terms. The four answers are epee, foil, piste and sabre.

The theme is baseball bat materials. The four answers are aluminum, ash, birch and maple.

The theme is last four WNBA MVPs. The four answers are Copper, Gray, Jones and Wilson.