Today's NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for June 12, #262

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Today's Connections: Sports Edition could be tricky. That purple category, as always, really requires some historical knowledge. 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: Stop and recover.

Green group hint: Gambling.

Blue group hint: Where you gamble.

Purple group hint: Baseball teams of the past.

Yellow group: A pause for recovery.

Green group: Casino table games.

Blue group: Las Vegas teams.

Purple group: Former MLB team names.

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

The theme is a pause for recovery. The four answers are break, breather, respite and rest.

The theme is casino table games. The four answers are baccarat, blackjack, craps and roulette.

The theme is Las Vegas teams. The four answers are Aces, Golden Knights, Raiders and Runnin' Rebels.

The theme is former MLB team names. The four answers are Devil Rays, Highlanders, Naps and Robins.