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Connections: Sports Edition is a new 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.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable 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.

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for December 13 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: Used in snow

• Green: Worn by athletes

• Blue: Team representatives

• Purple: Sounds broadcasters might make

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Skiing equipment

• Green: Logos of athletic brands

• Blue: NBA mascots

• Purple: Sports onomatopoeias

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 #81 is...

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today

• Skiiing equipment - BOOTS, GOGGLES, POLES, SKIS

• Logos of athletic brands - SWOOSH, PUMA, JUMPMAN, THREE STRIPES

• NBA mascots - BENNY, BURNIE, CHUCK, RUMBLE

• Sports onomatopoeias - BLOOP, CLANK, DOINK, SWISH

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new 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 today's Connections.

Fighting game old-heads are freaking out right now, and for good reason.

Virtua Fighter, one of the most beloved and also most presumed-dead fighting game series, is back. A new, currently untitled entry in the series was announced at The Game Awards 2024, courtesy of longtime series publisher SEGA and new lead development studio Ryu Ga Gotoku, of the Like a Dragon/Yakuza series.

In other words, the people who make the coolest games about beating dudes up are making a new game about beating dudes up. Sounds great.

Borderlands is back, and you won't be surprised to learn it has plenty of guns and attitude.

That's the rub from the Borderlands 4 reveal trailer aired at The Game Awards, anyway. It has new characters, locations, guns, and enemies, which are all the things you would want from a new Borderlands game. The classic art style returns, too, so Borderlands fans shouldn't be disappointed.

Let's just hope it clears the movie.

Elden Ring was a very popular game, so naturally, they're making another one.

It isn't Elden Ring 2, though. Geoff Keighley took to the stage at The Game Awards 2024 to announce something slightly unexpected: A co-op action game set in the Elden Ring universe. Called Elden Ring: Nightreign and developed by From Software, it looks like it might be a cross between Elden Ring and Monster Hunter, with players teaming up to take down horrifying boss monsters.

Whatever it is, it probably just became the single most anticipated game for millions of people.

Every year's edition of The Game Awards, which seems to be a lot more about trailers than awards, gives us at least one really striking-looking original game to look forward to. It's usually buried in between trailers for updates to mobile games, but it's always there.

This year, that game might be Split Fiction. Developed by Hazelight Studios and headed up by Josef Fares (known for using colorful language at previous Game Awards shows) Split Fiction is the spiritual follow-up to 2021 Game of the Year recipient It Takes Two. That means it's a really wacky and inventive adventure about rival fiction novelists meant specifically to be played by two people together cooperatively. I didn't get the impression that single-player is even an option, nor would it make sense for it to be one.

Anyway, I got to sit down and play about 45 minutes of Split Fiction with Fares himself before the big reveal at The Game Awards. While it remains to be seen if any of its big ideas will work when the game releases in early March, I can at least confirm that Split Fiction makes a hell of a first impression.

SEE ALSO: The 10 best video games you may have missed in 2024 Split Fiction hands-on preview: You got sci-fi in my fantasy Regardless of which aesthetic it's using at any given time, 'Split Fiction' looks very nice. Credit: Hazelight/EA

To understand what, exactly, Split Fiction is, you need to understand the premise. The problem is that I didn't fully grasp it in my brief time with the game, but I'll do my best to explain.

Two female novelists named Zoe and Mio (Fares was quick to mention these are his daughter's names) have, through seemingly nefarious means, been trapped inside a virtual simulation of their work together by an evil publishing company that wants to steal their stories. One of them is a sci-fi writer and the other is a fantasy novelist. The bulk of the gameplay seems like it will take place in either a fantasy or sci-fi world, depending on the level, with the idea being that these two women who don't like each other (or each other's work) very much need to work together creatively to get out of the simulation.

The name of the game in Split Fiction is variety. Every single level appears to have some kind of unique, bespoke co-op mechanic that probably only lasts for 10 to 15 minutes, and that you won't see anywhere else in the game. Here are just a few examples that Fares showed me in the very quick demo I got to play:

• A level where Zoe and Mio do competitive snowboarding down a mountain, complete with a reasonably deep trick and scoring system

• A level where Zoe and Mio hatch, raise, and ultimately ride on two dragons who grow as the level progresses

• A level where Zoe and Mio play as two pigs, one of whom can extend vertically like a Slinky toy, while the other farts rainbows in order to clear horizontal gaps

Oh yeah, there's a level where you shapeshift into weird monsters, too. Credit: Hazelight/EA

The most important part is that everything I got to play was fun. Split Fiction's base third-person platforming mechanics are solid and snappy on their own, but once the more goofy mechanics come into play, things get pretty neat. The snowboarding level was a decent enough approximation of SSX, while the pig level was a neat little optional distraction that Fares assured me lasts like 10 minutes. Speaking of optional distractions, Split Fiction seems like it will be full of hidden levels that are set in other stories these two characters have written. The pig level was one of these, but another one turned the game into a hand-drawn-in-pencil side-scroller for a while.

Hazelight's previous work in making unique co-op games shone through in the short demo I played, as well. It's not just that these mechanics are fun and two players get to do them together; in many cases, each player is given a different ability or role, so coordination is key. Sometimes one player will have to alter gravity to walk along the ceiling, cutting down platforms for the other. You know, stuff like that.

I can't say whether or not Split Fiction will live up to the excellent first impression it makes when the full game launches on March 5. But between a bunch of really fun co-op shenanigans I saw in just a brief demo, and the fact that there isn't a very annoying, omnipresent narrator like It Takes Two, Split Fiction is lining up to be one of the more interesting games of early 2025.

Hey folks, they're making a new The Witcher game. Yes, you play as Ciri. Remain calm.

CD Projekt Red announced its first new game since Cyberpunk 2077 at The Game Awards 2024. The lengthy trailer for The Witcher IV doesn't show any gameplay, but it does confirm something incredibly important: Ciri, not Geralt of Rivia, is the protagonist this time around. Geralt's voice is heard briefly at the end of the trailer, but he is not seen at any point. This is a Ciri adventure, which is what lots of folks (me) wanted after The Witcher 3.

Hopefully it launches in a better state than Cyberpunk.

One of the first reveals at the 2024 Game Awards will probably wind up sucking thousands of hours out of countless players.

At least, that's what Slay the Spire has done over the last few years, so it's reasonable to expect Slay the Spire 2 to do the same. It looks to add to the already-versatile card-based gameplay of the original with new cards, items, and other wild variables to consider as you try to, well, slay the spire.

The best part is you don't have to wait long. Slay the Spire 2 will launch in early access in 2025.

Still aiming to become a global leader in AI, the United States announced it will be moving forward on initiatives to incorporate generative AI into the inner workings of the Department of Defense (DoD)— just as AI's creators pitch their offerings to major defense contractors.

Announced today, the office will be moving ahead with a new $100 million AI Rapid Capabilities Cell "focused on accelerating DoD adoption of next-generation artificial intelligence," including generative AI. It will be led by the department's Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO) and Defense Innovation Unit (DIU). The announcement comes as a result of Task Force Lima, a Department of Defense generative AI task force established in 2023 to "assess, synchronize, and employ generative AI capabilities" in the DoD.

SEE ALSO: Rising use of generative AI by police is a threat to Americans' civil liberties, ACLU warns

"DIU's role is bringing the very best commercial tech to bear to meet critical warfighter problems with the focus, speed, and scale required to meet the strategic imperative," said DIU Director Doug Beck. "The result will help us scale the tech faster and more reliably, and will also help change the way the Department thinks about software development and delivery tempo for the future." The department's AI applications will include "decision support, operational planning, logistics, weapons development and testing, uncrewed and autonomous systems, intelligence activities, information operations, and cyber operations," as well as administrative purposes.  

Under the Biden Administration, the U.S. endorsed the international Political Declaration on Responsible Military Use of Artificial Intelligence and Autonomy, a best practices initiative to explore the development of AI's military capabilities — despite already using the technology in warfare applications. In a Nov. 2023 statement, the Department of Defense announced its intention to explore "the responsible military use of artificial intelligence and autonomous systems." AI watchdogs have warned of the accelerated use of AI in warfare and its global repercussions.

One month prior, the White House announced an extensive regulatory executive order outlining risk and safety standards for AI, cybersecurity provisions, and various guidelines that spanned the Department of Commerce, Homeland Security, and Energy. The administration announced even more AI initiatives soon after, including the creation of a United States AI Safety Institute (US AISI). This was later followed by a warning to Big Tech to curb the spread of synthetic, AI-generated content.

While it's uncertain whether President-elect Donald Trump will uphold the Biden administration's national and international AI commitments, the soon-to-be sworn in leader has already announced his pick for a position he's calling the "White House AI Czar." As for his picks for the country's defense leaders, Trump is rumored to be eyeing Palantir chief technology officer Shyam Shankir for a top spot in the Pentagon — Shankir is a proponent of the Department of Defense's rapid adoption of commercial tech, including AI.

"The DoD has an imperative to responsibly pursue the adoption of generative AI models while identifying proper protective measures and mitigating national security risks that may result from issues such as poorly managed training data," said DoD Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer Dr. Radha Plumb. "We must also consider the extent to which our adversaries will employ this technology and seek to disrupt our own use of AI-based solutions."

Since Nick Fury first broke into Tony Stark's cliffside mansion, comic books fans have been primed to expect bonus goods once the credits roll on the superhero movies. The MCU has unleashed jaw-dropping cameos, bizarre callbacks, and teases for future adventures, and Sony Pictures followed super suit.

At the end of Morbius, a cameo of Michael Keaton as Adrian "The Vulture" Toomes seemingly tied this movie to the MCU's Spider-Man: Homecoming, in which he was the Big Bad. More recently, the post-credits scene in Venom: The Last Dance revealed the fate of a character caught in the military-versus-symbiote crossfire — and set up a path to a could-be sequel.

However, what path forward might Kraven the Hunter tease when The Wrap is reporting Sony's closing up shop on Spider-Man spinoffs for now?

Does Kraven the Hunter have a post-credit scene?

Nope. At the film's New York premiere, critics, cast, and crew who stayed through the credits saw the long list of names of all the people who worked on J.C. Chandor's curious action movie. But there was not a post-credit scene with bonus goodies.

However, seeing the incredible amount of people power that went into Kraven the Hunter is its own reward, right?

Kraven the Hunter opens only in theaters Dec. 13.

Starting with models from the early 90s, I have owned numerous laptops in my life, and for almost all that time battery life has been the biggest concern of all. For the past few years, I never spared a thought for how much battery life is left on my laptop—so should we stop adding more?

Microsoft’s view of a constantly-updating OS with Windows 11 isn't always about removing features. Some functionality also gets ripped out from time to time, and the next feature to get kicked to the curb is Suggested Actions.

You may have noticed that some songs on Apple Music are mastered for "spatial audio", which sure does make the music sound different. But, does it actually sound good? I spent a few hours listening to spatial audio tracks, and the answer isn't as simple as "yes" or "no."

Linux Mint 22.1 is now available in beta. It's a fairly substantial upgrade with several new features and improvements, including the new Cinnamon 6.4 desktop environment.

Some 2.6 million Stanley mugs have been recalled after customers reported dangerous issues with the cup's construction.

If you're worried about your trendy, TikTok-must-have Stanley cup, however, you're likely OK. The recall is for the Stanley Switchback and Trigger Action travel mugs and not the big ol' Quencher tumblers you've likely seen all over social media.

SEE ALSO: What's so special about a Stanley? A guide to conspicuous consumption on TikTok.

The Switchback and Trigger Action mugs have an issue where the "lid threads can shrink when exposed to heat and torque, causing the lid to detach during use, posing a burn hazard," wrote the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in its recall announcement.

The CPSC said Stanley has received 91 reports worldwide of the lid detaching, which resulted in 38 burn injuries and 11 people requiring medical attention. The company is offering a free replacement lid to the affected consumers. You can see if your Stanley is part of the recall and request a replacement lid at the company's website.

Stanley previously had a PR kerfuffle when it was noted that some of its mugs contain small amounts of lead, but experts said it posed no threat at all to users — the lead was a part of insulation that's not exposed to consumers.

The new recall isn't ideal, but if you're affected it should be simple enough to get a new, better-working lid. And your Quencher is still fine to use on your next Target run.

I've been a drone and RC enthusiast for longer than I care to think about at this point, and there's never been a better time to get into the hobby (or even profession) if you get a good start to your journey. I've made some expensive mistakes over the years, but hopefully I can help you avoid that with a few good tips right out of the starting gate.

OpenAI has introduced new features for ChatGPT as part of its "12 Days of OpenAI" promotion. These features revolve around a Santa mode and Christmas themes, but also an update to Advanced Voice that lets users share their screens.

ChatGPT's Santa Mode is restricted to age groups that might already be questioning Santa Claus's existence.

The Santa voice is for ages 13 and up according to a disclaimer. OpenAI debuted the seasonal Santa Mode as part of Thursday's livestream, which also announced vision capabilities for ChatGPT. For ChatGPT Plus and Pro users, when using Advanced Voice Mode, they can select Santa's jolly, booming baritone among the voice options to interact with.

OpenAI won't let kids use Santa Mode. Credit: Screenshot: Mashable / OpenAI

But OpenAI has thumbed its nose at the joy of little children everywhere by restricting Santa Mode to teens and adults. How Grinch-y. Jokes aside, there is a reason for this. The 13-and-up age restriction applies to all of ChatGPT, a spokesperson told Mashable. According to OpenAI's terms of use, "You must be at least 13 years old or the minimum age required in your country to consent to use the Services. If you are under 18 you must have your parent or legal guardian’s permission to use the Services."

SEE ALSO: OpenAI's Sora is officially here

Some kind of age restriction makes sense for use of a technology that might share harmful or inaccurate information. But it also raises the question of what kind of raunchy adult content Santa Mode could get up to. That said, OpenAI has trained ChatGPT to restrict certain adult content and prevent misuse. But the real trick would have been creating a truly kid-safe version of Santa Mode.

Of course parents can always use Santa Mode with their kids or a tech-savvy pre-teen could get their parent's permission to chat with Santa. But it kind of takes away from the festive fun, knowing that Santa Mode is almost exclusively a gimmick for adults that are already in on the world's greatest conspiracy.

Meanwhile we'll be pushing the limits of Santa Mode to see how "adult" it can be.

I’ve always used Chrome to browse on my phone, not because I love it, but because it was what was there and it got the job done. However, recently I decided to branch out and explore the Edge mobile browser, and I've already found things that it does way better than Chrome.

Google has revealed its plans to build virtual reality and mixed reality headsets, in partnership with Samsung. Say hello to Android XR.

If you're just beginning to use Google Sheets, its extensive features and add-ons can be a bit overwhelming. Here are some tips to get you on the fast track to start using this powerful, free cloud-based alternative to Microsoft Excel.