Today's Sports Connections answers

• DOWN
• LOSING
• BEHIND
• TRAILING

Why: All four — DOWN, LOSING, BEHIND and TRAILING — share one link: not winning. 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.

• CONCESSIONS
• PROGRAM
• TICKET
• PARKING

Why: All four — CONCESSIONS, PROGRAM, TICKET and PARKING — share one link: purchases at a game. 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.

• CHOW
• MILLER
• DAWES
• STRUG

Why: All four — CHOW, MILLER, DAWES and STRUG — share one link: members of the "magnificent seven". 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.

• PICNICS
• FINICKS
• PENIX
• BEATNIKS

Why: This is the wordplay group: PICNICS, FINICKS, PENIX and BEATNIKS are joined by the pattern in the title ("ends in a homophone for knicks"), 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.

• HEADS
• DEFER
• TAILS
• RECEIVE

Why: All four — HEADS, DEFER, TAILS and RECEIVE — share one link: heard during a coin toss. 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.

• TENACIOUS
• INTENT
• DRIVEN
• DOGGED

Why: All four — TENACIOUS, INTENT, DRIVEN and DOGGED — share one link: determined. 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.

• POCKET
• CHEST
• BOUNCE
• OUTLET

Why: This is the wordplay group: POCKET, CHEST, BOUNCE and OUTLET are joined by the pattern in the title ("_____ pass, in basketball"), 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.

• SHELL
• BRANCH
• CASPER
• GUY

Why: All four — SHELL, BRANCH, CASPER and GUY — share one link: raiders in the hall of fame. 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.

• PITT
• BC
• CAL
• CUSE

Why: All four — PITT, BC, CAL and CUSE — share one link: acc schools, abbreviated. 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.

• JUSTIN
• BO
• FERNANDO
• PATRICK

Why: All four — JUSTIN, BO, FERNANDO and PATRICK — share one link: first names of afc west qbs. 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.

• BIEBER
• CEASE
• SPRINGER
• GUERRERO

Why: All four — BIEBER, CEASE, SPRINGER and GUERRERO — share one link: toronto blue jays. 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.

• INDIFFERENCE
• END
• TACKLE
• BACK

Why: This is the wordplay group: INDIFFERENCE, END, TACKLE and BACK are joined by the pattern in the title ("defensive _____"), 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.