Tag: NYT Connections Sports Edition

NYT Connections Sports Edition: Hints & Answers for September 27, 2026
Key Highlights
- NYT Connections: Sports Edition #731 features four categories spanning MLB playoff structure, MLB home cities, Denver Broncos players, and Oregon football associations.
- Today’s puzzle is noted as easier for fans familiar with Raiders history, though the solutions do not include a Raiders-specific category.
- The solutions: MLB Playoff Rounds, with “Series” — CHAMPIONSHIP, DIVISION, WILD CARD, WORLD; Actual MLB Home Cities — ANAHEIM, ARLINGTON, SACRAMENTO, ST. PETERSBURH; Denver Broncos — BONITTO, HARVEY, NIX, WADDLE; Associated with Oregon Football — AUTZEN, DUCKS, NIKE, SHOUT.
NYT Connections: Sports Edition #731 Tests Baseball, Broncos, and Oregon Football Knowledge

The New York Times’ daily word game Connections: Sports Edition, launched in association with The Athletic, released its 731st puzzle today. The game challenges players to identify the “common threads between words” by grouping 16 words into four categories of four. Each category is color-coded by difficulty: yellow (easiest), green, blue, and purple (hardest). Players may make up to four mistakes before the game ends and can shuffle the board to spot connections more easily. Results are shareable on social media, mirroring the viral mechanics of Wordle.

Category Hints and Structure

Today’s editorial hints pointed solvers toward four thematic areas: Yellow: Playoffs, Green: Ballpark locations, Blue: Broncos country, and Purple: Duck country. The official categories revealed were MLB Playoff Rounds, with “Series”, Actual MLB Home Cities, Denver Broncos, and Associated with Oregon Football. The yellow category required appending the word “Series” to each term — CHAMPIONSHIP, DIVISION, WILD CARD, WORLD — to form the official names of Major League Baseball’s postseason rounds.

Solutions Breakdown

The green category, Actual MLB Home Cities, listed ANAHEIM (Los Angeles Angels), ARLINGTON (Texas Rangers), SACRAMENTO (future home of the Athletics), and ST. PETERSBURH (Tampa Bay Rays). The blue category, Denver Broncos, featured current players BONITTO, HARVEY, NIX, and WADDLE. The purple category, Associated with Oregon Football, connected AUTZEN (Autzen Stadium), DUCKS (team nickname), NIKE (founder Phil Knight’s company and major program benefactor), and SHOUT (the “Shout” fight song tradition).

Why This Matters

Connections: Sports Edition represents the New York Times’ continued expansion of its games portfolio beyond the flagship Wordle and standard Connections. By partnering with The Athletic, the Times leverages dedicated sports journalism to craft puzzles that reward deep domain knowledge across leagues, franchises, and eras. Today’s puzzle illustrates the format’s range: solvers needed familiarity with MLB postseason nomenclature, stadium geography, an NFL roster, and college football traditions in the Pacific Northwest. The daily reset cadence and social sharing mechanics sustain habitual engagement, while the increasing difficulty curve across the week encourages retention. For publishers, the game serves as both a subscriber retention tool and a gateway to The Athletic’s broader sports coverage.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Connections: Sports Edition and where can I play it?

Connections: Sports Edition is a daily word puzzle from the New York Times, developed in association with The Athletic. It tasks players with grouping 16 words into four thematic categories of four words each. The game is playable on web browsers and mobile devices via the NYT Games platform.

How does the color-coding system work?

Each category is assigned a color indicating difficulty: yellow (easiest), green (moderate), blue (hard), and purple (hardest). Players see the colors only after correctly identifying a group. You have up to four mistakes per puzzle before the game ends.

When does a new puzzle become available?

Like Wordle and the original Connections, Connections: Sports Edition resets after midnight local time, delivering a fresh puzzle each day.
09/26/2026
NYT Connections Sports Edition: Hints and Answers for September 23, 2026
Key Highlights
- Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition #730 features categories centered on Massachusetts teams, Raiders quarterbacks, women’s golf major winners, and football movie title endings.
- The puzzle solutions include BRUINS, CELTICS, HARVARD, UMASS for Massachusetts schools; CARR, COUSINS, GANNON, STABLER for Raiders QBs; INKSTER, KO, KORDA, PARK for golf champions; and BLUES, LIGHTS, TITANS, YARD for film titles.
- NYT’s sports word game, developed with The Athletic, continues its daily reset format with color-coded difficulty tiers from yellow (easiest) to purple (hardest).
NYT Connections: Sports Edition Tests Raiders Knowledge in Latest Daily Puzzle

The New York Times’ newest daily word game, Connections: Sports Edition, delivered a puzzle on Tuesday that rewards familiarity with Las Vegas Raiders franchise history. Launched in association with The Athletic—the Times’ dedicated sports journalism property—the game challenges players to identify four groups of four words that share a common thread, mirroring the mechanics of the original Connections while narrowing the scope exclusively to sports terminology, athletes, teams, and pop culture references.

How the Sports Edition Gameplay Works

Each puzzle presents 16 words that must be sorted into four distinct categories. Players receive up to four mistakes before the game ends, and correct groupings are removed from the board. The interface allows shuffling and rearranging words to help spot connections, while each category is color-coded by difficulty: yellow for the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple for the most challenging. Like its sibling Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and supports social sharing of results. As the original game description notes, it is all about finding the “common threads between words.”

Tuesday’s Category Hints and Solutions

For puzzle #730, the editorial team provided progressive hints. The initial nudge offered thematic clues: Yellow: Around the New England, Green: Raiders, Blue: Golfers, Purple: Movies. The full category reveal followed: Yellow: Teams/Schools in Massachusetts, Green: Raiders QBs, Past and Present, Blue: Women’s Golf Major Winners, Purple: Last Words in Football Movie Titles.

The complete solution set for Tuesday’s edition is as follows:
- Teams/Schools in Massachusetts: BRUINS, CELTICS, HARVARD, UMASS
- Raiders QBs, Past and Present: CARR, COUSINS, GANNON, STABLER
- Women’s Golf Major Winners: INKSTER, KO, KORDA, PARK
- Last Words in Football Movie Titles: BLUES, LIGHTS, TITANS, YARD
Why This Matters: The Athletic’s Growing Gaming Footprint

The integration of Connections: Sports Edition into The Athletic’s portfolio signals the New York Times’ continued strategy of leveraging gaming to deepen subscriber engagement across its verticals. By tailoring the Connections format specifically for sports audiences, the Times creates a daily habit loop that complements The Athletic’s long-form journalism and live coverage. The puzzle’s reliance on niche knowledge—such as Raiders quarterback lineage spanning Ken Stabler to Derek Carr, or LPGA major champions like Juli Inkster and Nelly Korda—reinforces the brand’s authority in specialized sports coverage while expanding the interactive ecosystem that began with Wordle’s acquisition.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I play Connections: Sports Edition?

The game is accessible on both web browsers and mobile devices through the New York Times Games platform and The Athletic’s digital properties.

How does the color-coding system work?

Each of the four categories is assigned a difficulty color: yellow (easiest), green (moderate), blue (hard), and purple (most difficult). The colors are revealed only after a correct guess.

What happens if I miss today’s puzzle?

A new Connections: Sports Edition puzzle releases daily after midnight. Previous day’s solutions are archived, but the game itself does not allow replay of past puzzles.
09/23/2026
NYT Connections Sports Edition: Hints and Answers for September 21, 2026
Key Highlights
- NYT’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle #728 features categories including DC Schools and USMNT All-Time Leading Goal Scorers.
- The puzzle solution reveals four distinct word groups: Distinction, DC Schools, USMNT All-Time Leading Goal Scorers, and ___Wagner.
- Today’s edition is noted to be easier for those familiar with Maryland geography and sports history.
NYT Connections: Sports Edition Tests Knowledge with Maryland-Centric Puzzle

The New York Times’ latest daily word game, Connections: Sports Edition, launched in association with The Athletic, continues to challenge sports enthusiasts with its unique blend of trivia and pattern recognition. Today’s puzzle, numbered #728, carries a distinct regional flavor that the game’s editors explicitly acknowledged: “Today’s Connections: Sports Edition will be easier for people who’ve lived in Maryland.” This geographic hint underscores the puzzle’s design, which often weaves specific institutional or historical knowledge into its four-category structure. Like the original Connections, the game tasks players with identifying the “common threads between words” among a grid of 16 terms, grouping them into four sets of four based on a shared theme.

Game Mechanics and Partnership with The Athletic

Connections: Sports Edition operates on the same core mechanics as its flagship predecessor. Each puzzle presents 16 words that must be sorted into four color-coded categories ranging from Yellow (easiest) to Purple (most difficult). Players are allowed up to four mistakes before the game ends, and the board can be shuffled to help spot connections. The game is accessible on both web browsers and mobile devices, leveraging The Athletic’s deep sports journalism resources to craft categories that span achievements, institutions, player statistics, and historical figures. The daily reset at midnight mirrors the schedule of Wordle, encouraging a habitual daily play pattern and social sharing of results.

Hints and Category Breakdown for Puzzle #728

For solvers seeking a nudge without a full spoiler, the editorial team provided thematic hints for each category tier. The Yellow category was clued as “Achievements,” Green as “Schools near the Capitol,” Blue as “US soccer top scorers,” and Purple as “The Wagners.” These hints translated directly into the official categories revealed later: Yellow: Distinction, Green: DC Schools, Blue: USMNT All-Time Leading Goal Scorers, and Purple: ___Wagner. The “DC Schools” category serves as the primary anchor for the Maryland-adjacent difficulty signal, requiring familiarity with universities in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.

Full Solution Revealed

For players ready to verify their guesses or concede the round, the complete solution for Connections: Sports Edition #728 is as follows:
- Distinction: ACCOLADE, AWARD, HONOR, PRIZE
- DC Schools: AMERICAN, GEORGE WASHINGTON, GEORGETOWN, HOWARD
- USMNT All-Time Leading Goal Scorers: ALTIDORE, DEMPSEY, DONOVAN, WYNALDA
- ___Wagner: ASHLEY, BILLY, FRANZ, HONUS
Why This Matters

Connections: Sports Edition represents a strategic expansion of The New York Times’ gaming portfolio, leveraging the subscription-driving success of Wordle and the original Connections while tapping into The Athletic’s specialized sports audience. By incorporating niche categories like “DC Schools” and “USMNT All-Time Leading Goal Scorers,” the game rewards deep, specific sports knowledge rather than general vocabulary alone. This approach differentiates it from purely linguistic puzzles and aligns with The Athletic’s brand of detailed, insider sports coverage. The daily release cadence fosters community engagement and social sharing, key metrics for subscriber retention. As the puzzle library grows, the rotation of themes—spanning history, statistics, geography, and pop culture—ensures a broad appeal across different segments of the sports fandom.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Connections: Sports Edition?

Connections: Sports Edition is a daily word game from The New York Times, developed in partnership with The Athletic. Players group 16 words into four categories of four based on shared sports-related themes.

Where can I play Connections: Sports Edition?

The game is available on web browsers and mobile devices via The New York Times Games platform.

How difficult is today’s puzzle?

The editors noted that Puzzle #728 is easier for people who have lived in Maryland, due to the “DC Schools” category featuring universities in the Washington, D.C. area.
09/20/2026
NYT Connections Sports Edition: Today’s Hints and Answers for September 20, 2026
Key Highlights
- Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition #727 features categories centered on Maryland teams, defunct NHL franchises, NFL rookie wide receivers, and NATO phonetic alphabet sports terms.
- The puzzle solution includes the Midshipmen, Orioles, Ravens, and Terrapins for Maryland Teams; Atlanta, Hartford, Phoenix, and Quebec City for Former NHL Cities.
- NFL Rookie WRs category comprises Boston, Lemon, Tate, and Tyson, while Golf, Uniform, Victor, and Yankee represent Sports Terms in the NATO Phonetic Alphabet.
NYT Connections: Sports Edition #727 Tests Regional and Historical Sports Knowledge

The New York Times’ daily word game Connections: Sports Edition returned on Tuesday with a puzzle that rewards familiarity with Maryland athletics, NHL relocation history, recent NFL draft picks, and military phonetic terminology. Developed in association with The Athletic — the Times’ dedicated sports journalism vertical — the game challenges players to identify four distinct thematic groups from a grid of 16 words, with only one correct configuration per category.

How the Sports Edition Differs from the Original Connections

While the core mechanic mirrors the original Connections — grouping four words that share a hidden common thread — the Sports Edition narrows its scope exclusively to athletic terminology, franchise names, player identities, and league lore. Each puzzle resets at midnight local time, and difficulty escalates across the week. Players receive up to four mistakes before the game ends, and color-coded difficulty tiers (yellow, green, blue, purple) signal the relative accessibility of each category. The board can be shuffled at any point to help reveal patterns.

Tuesday’s Categories Blend Geography, History, and Linguistics

For puzzle #727, the yellow category — typically the most straightforward — centered on Maryland Teams, requiring solvers to link the Midshipmen (Navy), Orioles (MLB), Ravens (NFL), and Terrapins (University of Maryland). The green tier, Former NHL Cities, drew on league relocation history: Atlanta (Flames/Thrashers), Hartford (Whalers), Phoenix (Coyotes), and Quebec City (Nordiques).

The blue category, NFL Rookie WRs, referenced first-year wide receivers from the 2024 draft class: Boston (Xavier Boston, undrafted free agent), Lemon (Jalen Lemon, undrafted), Tate (Tayvion Tate, undrafted), and Tyson (Jalen Tyson, undrafted) — though solvers may have associated the names with more prominent rookies. The purple tier, Sports Terms in the NATO Phonetic Alphabet, demanded recognition of Golf, Uniform, Victor, and Yankee as both code words and athletic terminology.

Why This Matters

Connections: Sports Edition represents the Times’ continued expansion into niche puzzle verticals, leveraging The Athletic’s domain expertise to deepen engagement with sports audiences. The game’s design — blending regional pride, league history, current roster knowledge, and linguistic trivia — reflects a broader strategy to diversify the Times’ Games portfolio beyond Wordle and the original Connections. Daily hint-and-answer coverage from outlets like Mashable indicates strong search demand for solve assistance, suggesting the vertical has cultivated a habitual player base. Future puzzles will likely continue rotating through similar thematic buckets: college programs, defunct franchises, rookie classes, and wordplay categories.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Connections: Sports Edition and where can I play it?

Connections: Sports Edition is a daily word puzzle from The New York Times, developed in partnership with The Athletic. It tasks players with grouping 16 words into four thematic categories of four words each. The game is playable on web browsers and mobile devices via the NYT Games platform.

How do the color-coded difficulty levels work?

Each category is assigned a color indicating its relative difficulty: yellow (easiest), green, blue, and purple (hardest). These colors are revealed only after a correct group is submitted, helping players gauge the puzzle’s structure retrospectively.

When does the puzzle reset, and can I play past editions?

A new puzzle releases at midnight local time. The NYT Games archive does not currently offer access to previous Connections: Sports Edition puzzles, though third-party sites may compile past solutions.
09/19/2026
NYT Connections Sports Edition: Hints and Answers for September 17, 2026
Key Highlights
- Today’s Connections: Sports Edition #724 centers on four distinct sports categories: team organizational structures, recent Summer Olympic host cities, Missouri Valley Conference institutions, and professional baseball franchises nicknamed Giants.
- The solved puzzle groups CONFERENCE, DIVISION, GROUP, and LEAGUE as “A Collection of Teams”; LONDON, PARIS, RIO DE JANEIRO, and TOKYO as “Last Four Summer Olympic Hosts”; BELMONT, BRADLEY, DRAKE, and NORTHERN IOWA as “Missouri Valley Schools”; and LITTLE, NEW YORK, SAN FRANCISCO, and YOMIURI as the “___Giants” completion set.
- Developed by The New York Times in association with The Athletic, the daily word game resets at midnight and allows up to four mistakes before ending, with color-coded difficulty tiers from yellow (easiest) to purple (hardest).
Understanding Connections: Sports Edition

The New York Times has expanded its popular Connections franchise into the sports arena with Connections: Sports Edition, a daily word-association puzzle developed in partnership with The Athletic, the Times’ dedicated sports journalism vertical. The game challenges players to identify the “common threads between words” by sorting 16 terms into four thematic groups of four. Accessible on both web browsers and mobile devices, each puzzle resets after midnight, presenting a fresh set of sports-centric vocabulary that ranges from team names and league terminology to historical events and athlete nicknames.

Today’s Category Hints and Puzzle Structure

For puzzle #724, the game provided tiered hints to guide players toward the correct groupings without immediate disclosure. The yellow tier, designated as the easiest, hinted at “An association.” The green category pointed to “Olympic hosts,” while the blue tier referenced “Mid-major colleges.” The purple category, traditionally the most difficult, offered the cryptic clue “Types of giants.” These hints correspond directly to the four color-coded difficulty levels: yellow (easiest), green, blue, and purple (hardest). Players may shuffle the board at any time to visualize potential connections from new angles, and the interface removes correctly grouped words from the board upon success.

Complete Solution Breakdown for Puzzle #724

The fully revealed categories and their corresponding word sets are as follows:
- Yellow — A Collection of Teams: CONFERENCE, DIVISION, GROUP, LEAGUE
- Green — Last Four Summer Olympic Hosts: LONDON, PARIS, RIO DE JANEIRO, TOKYO
- Blue — Missouri Valley Schools: BELMONT, BRADLEY, DRAKE, NORTHERN IOWA
- Purple — ___Giants: LITTLE, NEW YORK, SAN FRANCISCO, YOMIURI
The purple category requires players to recognize Little Giants (a 1994 film and colloquial reference), the New York Giants (NFL), the San Francisco Giants (MLB), and the Yomiuri Giants (Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball league), demonstrating the puzzle’s international sports scope.

Game Mechanics and Social Features

Mirroring the mechanics of the original Connections and the viral hit Wordle, players receive up to four incorrect guesses before the game terminates. The color-coding system not only indicates difficulty but also provides a visual progression marker. Upon completion, results can be shared on social media platforms in a spoiler-free format, fostering community engagement and friendly competition. The Times also offers a broader games hub featuring Mahjong, Sudoku, free crosswords, and the newer NYT Strands puzzle, creating a comprehensive daily gaming destination.

Why This Matters

The launch of Connections: Sports Edition signals The New York Times’ strategic deepening of its gaming portfolio following the acquisition of Wordle in 2022. By leveraging The Athletic’s specialized sports coverage and subscriber base, the Times targets a dedicated demographic of sports enthusiasts who may not engage with general-knowledge word games. The inclusion of mid-major programs like Belmont University and Bradley University alongside global entities such as the Yomiuri Giants reflects an intentional breadth that rewards both niche collegiate knowledge and international baseball awareness. As the puzzle enters its second year, its daily reset cadence and social sharing mechanics continue to drive habitual traffic and subscriber retention across the Times’ digital ecosystem.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Connections: Sports Edition and who produces it?

Connections: Sports Edition is a daily sports-themed word puzzle produced by The New York Times in association with The Athletic. Players group 16 words into four categories of four by identifying shared sports-related themes.

How often does the puzzle reset, and where can I play it?

The puzzle resets every day at midnight local time. It is playable on both desktop web browsers and mobile devices through The New York Times Games platform.

What happens if I make a mistake while solving?

Players are allowed up to four incorrect guesses per puzzle. Each wrong grouping counts as one mistake. After the fourth mistake, the game ends and the solution is revealed.
09/16/2026
NYT Connections Sports Edition: Hints and Answers for September 9, 2026
NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Today’s Puzzle

Today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle offers a tasty advantage for fans who enjoy pre-game tailgating traditions. As a specialized version of the popular New York Times word game, this sports-themed edition tests the knowledge of sports enthusiasts by challenging them to find common threads between words. Like the original Connections and Wordle, the puzzle resets daily after midnight, with each new set presenting increasing difficulty.

What Is Connections: Sports Edition?

The New York Times launched this daily word game in association with The Athletic, the Times’ dedicated sports coverage property. Accessible on both web browsers and mobile devices, Connections: Sports Edition requires players to group four words that share a common theme. Each puzzle features 16 words divided into four categories, which can span topics from player names and stadium history to equipment and wordplay. While multiple words may appear to fit together, only one correct solution exists for each category.

Gameplay mechanics mirror the original: correctly identifying all four words in a set removes them from the board, while incorrect guesses count as mistakes. Players are allowed up to four mistakes before the game ends. Additional features include the ability to rearrange and shuffle the board for easier pattern recognition, and color-coded difficulty levels ranging from yellow (easiest) through green, blue, and purple (hardest). Results can be shared socially, similar to Wordle.

Today’s Connections: Sports Edition Category Hints

For players seeking gentle guidance without full spoilers, here are hints for today’s categories:
- Yellow: BBQ equipment
- Green: Iconic Super Bowl athletes
- Blue: Seahawks stadium history
- Purple: Rearranged NFL teams
Today’s Connections: Sports Edition Categories

If you need more direct assistance, the confirmed categories for today’s puzzle are:
- Yellow: Tailgating Needs
- Green: Super Bowl MVPs
- Blue: Names of Seahawks Stadiums
- Purple: Anagrams of NFL Teams
Today’s Connections: Sports Edition Solution

Spoiler alert: The following reveals the complete solution for Connections: Sports Edition #716.

Tailgating Needs

CHAIRS, COOLER, GRILL, TENT

Super Bowl MVPs

BRADY, BRANCH, EDELMAN, WALKER

Names of Seahawks Stadiums

CENTURYLINK, KINGDOME, LUMEN, QWEST

Anagrams of NFL Teams

BANGLES, SABRE, TAR PITS, TREELESS

If you didn’t solve it this time, don’t be discouraged. A new sports Connections puzzle arrives tomorrow, and we’ll return with fresh hints and strategies. For additional word game challenges, explore Mashable’s games hub featuring Mahjong, Sudoku, free crosswords, and more. You can also find hints and answers for today’s NYT Strands puzzle.
09/08/2026
NYT Connections Sports Edition: Hints and Answers for September 7, 2026
Today’s Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers

Today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle will feel more approachable if you follow hockey. As noted in previous hint guides, this daily word game from The New York Times — developed in partnership with The Athletic — tests sports knowledge by challenging players to find common threads among 16 words. Like the original Connections and Wordle, the puzzle resets after midnight, with each new set growing progressively trickier.

If you only want the solution, scroll to the end. Otherwise, read on for clues, tips, and strategies to solve it yourself.

What Is Connections: Sports Edition?

The NYT’s latest daily word game launches in association with The Athletic, the Times’ sports coverage vertical. Playable on web browsers and mobile devices, Connections: Sports Edition tasks players with grouping four words that share a common theme. Each puzzle presents 16 words divided into four categories — ranging from team abbreviations and fantasy positions to championship winners and colloquial phrases. Only one correct grouping exists per category, even if multiple words appear to fit together.

Correct guesses remove those words from the board. Players may make up to four mistakes before the game ends. The board can be rearranged and shuffled to help spot connections, and each category is color-coded by difficulty: yellow (easiest), green, blue, and purple (hardest). Results can be shared on social media, much like Wordle.

Related: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

Hint for Today’s Categories

Want a nudge without revealing the categories outright? Consider these clues:
- Yellow: NHL abbreviations
- Green: Fantasy roster spots
- Blue: Grand Slam winners
- Purple: JR
Today’s Categories Revealed

Need a little extra help? Here are the exact categories for today’s puzzle:
- Yellow: NHL Teams, On Scoreboards
- Green: Positions in Fantasy Football
- Blue: US Open Men’s Singles Winners
- Purple: Junior___
Also try: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL.

Today’s Connections: Sports Edition #714 Solution

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve the puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to Connections: Sports Edition #714 is:
- NHL Teams, On Scoreboards: CAR, EDM, OTT, VAN
- Positions in Fantasy Football: D/ST, FLEX, RB, TE
- US Open Men’s Singles Winners: ASHE, LAVER, RAFTER, SINNER
- Junior___: CAMINERO, COLLEGE, SEAU, VARSITY
Don’t feel down if you didn’t guess it this time. A new sports Connections puzzle arrives tomorrow, and we’ll be back with more helpful hints.

More Puzzle Resources
- Playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
- Looking for more puzzles? Mashable’s games hub offers Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
- Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to the latest Connections.
09/06/2026
NYT Connections Sports Edition: Hints and Answers for September 6, 2026
Today’s Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle #713 Hints and Answers

Today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle should feel a little easier if you follow the Houston Texans. As we’ve noted in previous guides, this daily word game from The New York Times — developed in association with The Athletic — tests sports knowledge by challenging players to find common threads between 16 words. Like the original Connections and Wordle, a new puzzle drops after midnight, and the difficulty ramps up over time.

If you just want the solution, scroll to the bottom. If you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for clues, strategies, and the full breakdown.

What Is Connections: Sports Edition?

The NYT’s latest daily word game launched in partnership with The Athletic, the Times’ sports coverage vertical. It’s playable on web browsers and mobile devices. Each puzzle presents 16 words that must be grouped into four categories of four words each. Categories can span anything — book titles, software, country names, or sports-specific references. Only one correct grouping exists per set, even if multiple words seem to fit together.

Get a group right, and those words clear from the board. Guess wrong, and it counts as a mistake; four mistakes ends the game. Players can shuffle the board to spot connections more easily. Groups are color-coded by difficulty: yellow (easiest), green, blue, and purple (hardest). Results are shareable on social media, just like Wordle.

Hint for Today’s Connections: Sports Edition Categories

Want a nudge without the full reveal? Try these category hints:
- Yellow: Defense
- Green: Meet the Joneses
- Blue: Houston football players
- Purple: Sounds like an NFL player
Today’s Connections: Sports Edition Categories

Need a little more help? Here are the exact categories for puzzle #713:
- Yellow: Defend
- Green: Joneses
- Blue: Houston Texans
- Purple: NFL QBs with the First Letter Changed
Connections: Sports Edition #713 Solution

Spoiler alert: This is your last chance to turn back and solve the puzzle on your own.

Here are the answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition:
- Defend: BLANKET, COVER, GUARD, SHIELD
- Joneses: DANIEL, DEACON, JONQUEL, MAC
- Houston Texans: DELL, MARKS, STINGLEY, STROUD
- NFL QBs with the First Letter Changed: CART, COVER, DODGERS, THOUGH
Didn’t get it this time? No worries — a fresh Connections: Sports Edition puzzle arrives tomorrow, and we’ll be back with more hints and answers.

More Daily Puzzles and Games

Also playing NYT Strands? Check out our hints and answers for today’s Strands. If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s games hub offers Mahjong, Sudoku, free crosswords, and more.

Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to the latest standard Connections puzzle.
09/05/2026
NYT Connections Sports Edition: Hints and Answers for September 4, 2026
Today’s Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Puzzle #711

If you skateboard, today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle might feel a little easier. This daily word game from The New York Times, developed in partnership with The Athletic, challenges sports fans to find the common threads between 16 words. Just like the original Connections and Wordle, the puzzle resets after midnight and grows trickier each day. Below, you’ll find hints, category clues, and the full solution for game #711.

What Is Connections: Sports Edition?

Connections: Sports Edition is the NYT’s latest daily word game, available on both web browsers and mobile devices. Players must group 16 words into four categories of four words each. Categories can span anything from player names and team terminology to equipment, statistics, and pop culture references. Only one correct grouping exists per category, even if multiple words appear to fit together.

How to Play
- Select four words you believe share a common theme.
- If correct, those words are removed from the board and the category is revealed, color-coded by difficulty: yellow (easiest), green, blue, and purple (hardest).
- An incorrect guess counts as a mistake; players are allowed up to four mistakes before the game ends.
- The board can be rearranged or shuffled at any time to help spot connections.
- Results can be shared on social media, similar to Wordle.
Today’s Category Hints (Without Spoilers)

Want a nudge without seeing the actual category names? Try these clues:
- Yellow: Hit by pitch
- Green: Seen in a Tony Hawk game
- Blue: Iconic swimmers
- Purple: The draft
Today’s Categories Revealed

If you need a little more help, here are the exact category names for puzzle #711:
- Yellow: Nail a Batter with a Pitch
- Green: Skateboarding Tricks
- Blue: Swimmers with 10+ Olympic Medals
- Purple: Draft___
Today’s Connections: Sports Edition Answers

Spoiler alert: The solutions for game #711 are listed below. Stop here if you want to solve it yourself.
- Nail a Batter with a Pitch: BEAN, DRILL, HIT, PLUNK
- Skateboarding Tricks: 900, HEELFLIP, MANUAL, MCTWIST
- Swimmers with 10+ Olympic Medals: DRESSEL, LEDECKY, PHELPS, THOMPSON
- Draft___: CLASS, LOTTERY, ORDER, PICKS
Don’t feel discouraged if you didn’t solve it today. A new Connections: Sports Edition puzzle arrives every midnight, and we’ll be back tomorrow with fresh hints and answers.

More Puzzle Games on Mashable

Looking for additional brain teasers? Mashable’s games hub offers Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword puzzles, and more. You can also find hints and answers for today’s NYT Strands puzzle.

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL.

Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to the latest Connections puzzle.
09/03/2026
NYT Connections Sports Edition: Hints and Answers for September 1, 2026
NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Today’s Puzzle

Today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle will feel familiar to anyone who followed the Atlanta Falcons throughout the 2010s. As covered in previous guides, this daily word game from The New York Times—developed in partnership with The Athletic—tests sports knowledge by challenging players to find common threads between 16 words.

Like the original Connections and Wordle, the puzzle resets after midnight. Each new set grows progressively trickier, so we’ve compiled hints, strategies, and the full solution to help you clear the board.

How Connections: Sports Edition Works

The game presents 16 words that must be grouped into four categories of four words each. Categories can span anything from team names and player associations to terminology and pop culture references. While multiple words may appear to fit together, only one correct grouping exists per category.

Correct guesses remove those words from the board. An incorrect guess counts as a mistake; players are allowed up to four mistakes before the game ends. The board can be rearranged and shuffled at any time to help spot patterns. Categories are color-coded by difficulty: yellow (easiest), green, blue, and purple (hardest). Results can be shared on social media, just like Wordle.

Hints for Today’s Categories

Want a nudge without seeing the answers? Try these category clues:
- Yellow: Training athletes
- Green: Symbolic NFL entities
- Blue: Matt Ryan
- Purple: Lined up together
Today’s Connections: Sports Edition Categories

Need a little more help? Here are the exact category names for puzzle #708:
- Yellow: Coach
- Green: NFL Mascots
- Blue: Associated with Matt Ryan
- Purple: ___-To-___
Today’s Connections: Sports Edition Answers

Spoiler alert: The solution to Connections: Sports Edition #708 is revealed below.

Coach

DRILL, INSTRUCT, SCHOOL, TEACH

NFL Mascots

BLUE, JAXSON DE VILLE, SOURDOUGH SAM, SWOOP

Associated with Matt Ryan

2, BC, FALCONS, MATTY ICE

___-To-___

BACK, DAY, MAN, TOE

Didn’t solve it this time? No worries—a new Connections: Sports Edition puzzle drops tomorrow, and we’ll be back with fresh hints and answers.

More Daily Puzzle Help
- Playing NYT Strands? Check out today’s Strands hints and answers.
- Want more games? Visit Mashable’s games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crosswords, and more.
- Looking for the standard Connections solution? Here’s today’s Connections answer.
08/31/2026