Today's NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Oct. 19, #391

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Today's Connections: Sports Edition features some fun categories. If you're struggling but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by the Times. It doesn't show up in the NYT Games app but appears in The Athletic's own app. Or you can play it for free online.

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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: Not cold.

Green group hint: Get out on the water.

Blue group hint: Lew Alcindor

Purple group hint: Bright future ahead.

Yellow group: Warm team names.

Green group: Rowing terms.

Blue group: Associated with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Purple group: WNBA draft No. 1 picks.

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The theme is warm team names. The four answers are Fire, Flames, Heat and Suns.

The theme is rowing terms. The four answers are bow, coxswain, regatta and stern.

The theme is associated with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The four answers are 33, Lakers, skyhook and UCLA.

The theme is WNBA draft No. 1 picks. The four answers are Bird, Boston, Charles and Plum.