Looking for a clean nudge for todayâs board without getting the whole thing spoiled instantly? This daily format gives you expert-written hints in plain text first, then the solutions are tucked behind tap-to-reveal boxes so you can control how much you see.
If you want to play the official puzzle first, you can find it on the New York Times Connections: Sports Edition page. Come back here only when you want a push.
How todayâs board plays
Todayâs Sports Edition is âmoderately challengingâ in the most classic way: one group is purely functional and obvious once you name the sport, another is college identity driven, a third is a name pattern that can pull you off course, and the last is all about how fans talk when a match turns chaotic. The biggest trap is mixing ârolesâ across sports or assuming a nickname belongs to a pro team when itâs actually tied to a university identity.
Tip that stays spoiler-safe: when you think you have a set of four, say the category out loud in one short phrase. If you canât, youâre probably building a âvibes groupâ instead of a real category.
Category hints
Think baseball, but focus on the moment that matters. These are the people directly involved when a pitch meets a decision.
Anchor word: UMPIRE
This is college-sports identity. If youâve watched conference realignment coverage, the theme clicks faster. Each term is a mascot or nickname tied to a school in the Big 12 orbit.
Anchor word: UTE
Donât overthink the sport. This grouping is name-based: the same first name, spanning different corners of sports and sports media history.
Anchor word: BEAMON
This is fan language. Picture highlight reels, groans, and commentators leaning into the drama. These words are soccer slang for memorable moments.
Anchor word: SITTER
Want one extra nudge without giving words away? Try sorting the board into âjob titles,â âteam identity,â ânames,â and âmatch commentary.â If a word fits two, itâs probably part of the trick.
Practice feature
Use this mini practice mode to test your grouping instincts. Select exactly four tiles, then tap Check. It will tell you if your four match a real category, without revealing the category name.
Tap to reveal todayâs answers
The full solutions are below. The reveal boxes include the category title, the four answers, and a short explanation of what ties them together.
Reveal Yellow answers
Yellow: Involved in an at-bat
- CATCHER
- HITTER
- PITCHER
- UMPIRE
This one is pure baseball mechanics: the battery, the batter, and the official who decides balls, strikes, and key calls that can swing an inning.
Reveal Green answers
Green: A Big 12 athlete
- CYCLONE
- JAYHAWK
- SUN DEVIL
- UTE
These are school identities youâll hear in college coverage. The grouping leans on conference familiarity more than any single sport.
Reveal Blue answers
Blue: Bobs
- BEAMON
- COSTAS
- FELLER
- UECKER
The glue here is the first name Bob. The trap is wanting to force a single sport, but the point is the shared name across sports history and media.
Reveal Purple answers
Purple: Soccer slang
- HOWLER
- SCREAMER
- SITTER
- WORLDIE
This is the language of match-day storytelling: the awful mistake, the unstoppable hit, the chance you should bury, and the impossible goal that leaves everyone stunned.
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