Sports Connections Hints: Dec 22, 2025

This page shows spoiler‑layered hints for the NYT Sports Connections puzzle published on Dec 22, 2025 (2025-12-22). Step through the hints in order and only reveal the full board when you're ready.

Meta: Sports puzzle #663

Puzzle #663 · 2025-12-22 · sports

Step through today’s Connections hints

Start with broad themes, then reveal more detail about the groups and tiles only when you need it. The final button shows today's full group breakdown.

Puzzle reference: Connections #663 for 2025-12-22, edition sports, with a standard four-group board. Spoiler categories and tiles stay collapsed until you open the hint layers below.

Hint 1 – overall theme

There are 4 groups in today’s puzzle.

Themes include: SECTION OF A GAME, SOCCER PASSES, HALL OF FAME ORIOLES and 1 more.

Hint 2 – group titles

Here are the category names for each group. Try matching the tiles in the official game to these themes before you reveal any tiles.

SECTION OF A GAME
SOCCER PASSES
HALL OF FAME ORIOLES
NFL STARTING QBS, MINUS THEIR FIRST LETTER

Hint 3 – group tiles

Reveal the tiles for each group. If you only want a partial nudge, stop after reading one or two groups and go back to the official puzzle.

SECTION OF A GAME

INNING

HALF

PERIOD

QUARTER

SOCCER PASSES

BACKHEEL

CROSS

GIVE-AND-GO

CHIP

HALL OF FAME ORIOLES

RIPKEN

MURRAY

PALMER

WEAVER

NFL STARTING QBS, MINUS THEIR FIRST LETTER

ARNOLD

ART

OFF

AYE

Reveal full answer

This is the full breakdown of today's Connections puzzle: group titles and all tiles, grouped together.