Today's Sports Connections answers

• COACH
• TRAINER
• VIDEO COORDINATOR
• SCOUT

Why: All four — COACH, TRAINER, VIDEO COORDINATOR and SCOUT — share one link: members of a staff. The group is knowledge-gated: you either recognise the theme on sight or you don't, so use the hints above rather than trying to reason it out from the words alone.

• COOK
• SWIFT
• WALKER
• HALL

Why: All four — COOK, SWIFT, WALKER and HALL — share one link: nfl running backs. The group is knowledge-gated: you either recognise the theme on sight or you don't, so use the hints above rather than trying to reason it out from the words alone.

• FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS
• COBRA KAI
• RUNNING POINT
• HEATED RIVALRY

Why: All four — FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, COBRA KAI, RUNNING POINT and HEATED RIVALRY — share one link: sports tv shows. The group is knowledge-gated: you either recognise the theme on sight or you don't, so use the hints above rather than trying to reason it out from the words alone.

• SHIFT
• FORWARD PASS
• FORMATION
• BLINDSIDE BLOCK

Why: Every entry — SHIFT, FORWARD PASS, FORMATION and BLINDSIDE BLOCK — is a called infraction in the sport named in the title. If you do not watch the sport, these read as ordinary words, so the group is knowledge-gated rather than a puzzle of language.

• WINNER
• DOUBLE FAULT
• UNFORCED ERROR
• ACE

Why: All four — WINNER, DOUBLE FAULT, UNFORCED ERROR and ACE — share one link: tennis stat. The group is knowledge-gated: you either recognise the theme on sight or you don't, so use the hints above rather than trying to reason it out from the words alone.

• CRUSH
• BARREL
• SMOKE
• LACE

Why: All four — CRUSH, BARREL, SMOKE and LACE — share one link: make good contact (in baseball). The group is knowledge-gated: you either recognise the theme on sight or you don't, so use the hints above rather than trying to reason it out from the words alone.

• 4
• QUARTERBACK
• COWBOYS
• MISSISSIPPI STATE

Why: Everything here ties back to DAK PRESCOTT: 4, QUARTERBACK, COWBOYS and MISSISSIPPI STATE. The group rewards knowing the arc of one career rather than any single stat.

• COMBO
• OFFENSIVE
• NOSE
• MOUTH

Why: This is the wordplay group: COMBO, OFFENSIVE, NOSE and MOUTH are joined by the pattern in the title ("_____ guard"), not by any shared sport. It is the classic trap tier — several of these words look like they belong with a sports category above, which is exactly what the puzzle wants you to try first.

• SKI POLE
• SHIN GUARD
• ICE SKATE
• SOCCER CLEAT

Why: All four — SKI POLE, SHIN GUARD, ICE SKATE and SOCCER CLEAT — share one link: equipment that comes in pairs. The group is knowledge-gated: you either recognise the theme on sight or you don't, so use the hints above rather than trying to reason it out from the words alone.

• SHIN SPLINTS
• TURF TOE
• TENNIS ELBOW
• HIP POINTER

Why: All four — SHIN SPLINTS, TURF TOE, TENNIS ELBOW and HIP POINTER — share one link: injuries. The group is knowledge-gated: you either recognise the theme on sight or you don't, so use the hints above rather than trying to reason it out from the words alone.

• PESKY'S POLE
• GREEN MONSTER
• CITGO SIGN
• LANSDOWNE STREET

Why: All four — PESKY'S POLE, GREEN MONSTER, CITGO SIGN and LANSDOWNE STREET — share one link: fenway park sights. The group is knowledge-gated: you either recognise the theme on sight or you don't, so use the hints above rather than trying to reason it out from the words alone.

• STADIUM OF LIGHT
• OLD TRAFFORD
• CITY GROUND
• STAMFORD BRIDGE

Why: All four — STADIUM OF LIGHT, OLD TRAFFORD, CITY GROUND and STAMFORD BRIDGE — share one link: premier league venues. The group is knowledge-gated: you either recognise the theme on sight or you don't, so use the hints above rather than trying to reason it out from the words alone.