Looking for help with today’s Connections: Sports Edition? Below you’ll find spoiler-light hints first, then click-to-reveal answers when you’re ready. If you’d like to play the official puzzle, start here: NYT Connections.
How to use this guide: Try the hints section first. If you still feel stuck, open the “Reveal Answers”
panels one at a time so you don’t spoil the whole grid at once.
Today’s Hints (Spoiler-Light)
Reveal Hint Set 1 (easiest)
- One group is made up of classic track-and-field events.
- If you see distances/throws/jumps, you’re looking in the right place.
Reveal Hint Set 2
- One group revolves around iconic American football moments and culture.
- Think: famous plays, rally items, and fan identity.
Reveal Hint Set 3
- One group is about individual status and recognition (draft/awards/roles).
- These are labels attached to players, not teams.
Reveal Hint Set 4 (hardest)
- The last group clusters around team names and identity-type descriptors.
- When in doubt, separate “who they are” from “what they do.”
Answers (Click to Reveal)
Reveal Group 1 — Track & Field Events
- SHOT PUT
- DISCUS
- LONG JUMP
- 100 METERS
Reveal Group 2 — Football Culture / Iconic References
- TERRIBLE TOWELS
- BLACK AND YELLOW
- IMMACULATE RECEPTION
- SACRIFICE FLY
Note: This set leans into memorable football history and fan culture (and can be easy to overthink because some terms echo other sports).
Reveal Group 3 — Player Status / Recognition
- NO. 2 PICK
- ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
- SMALL FORWARD
- SEMIFINAL
Reveal Group 4 — Teams / Identity Descriptors
- TEXANS
- 49ERS
- OHIO STATE
- RENEGADE
A quick solving tip
If the grid feels noisy, sort words into buckets first: events (things you compete in), honors/labels (things you earn or are called), and teams/identities (who you represent). That quick triage usually exposes the cleanest four-of-a-kind.
