You know that feeling. You're three categories deep into the New York Times Connections grid. You’ve found the "Types of Fabric" and the "Words for Small Amount," and then you see it. The wall. Four words that look like they belong to a dozen different groups, and three of them are definitely related to athletes. This is where most casual players lose their streak. Finding reliable hints for sports connections isn't just about knowing who won the World Series last year; it’s about understanding the specific, often cruel way Wyna Liu and the NYT puzzle editors think about athletics.
Sports are the ultimate "purple" or "blue" category fodder. Why? Because the vocabulary is insanely versatile. A "pitch" is a throw, but it's also a field in soccer and a sales presentation. A "court" is where LeBron James lives, but it’s also where judges sit. When you're looking for hints for sports connections, you have to stop thinking like a fan and start thinking like a linguist who occasionally watches ESPN.
The Overlap Trap: Why Your First Instinct is Usually Wrong
Most people see "Tiger," "Bear," "Lion," and "Colt" and immediately click. They’re all animals, right? Sure. But in the world of Connections, they are almost certainly professional sports team mononyms. But wait—the NYT loves a red herring. Maybe "Tiger" is actually grouped with "Woods," "Lily," and "Eye." If you jump on the first sports-related grouping you see, you are playing right into the editor's hands.
The primary strategy for hints for sports connections is what enthusiasts call "The Pivot." You find a group of four sports terms, then you intentionally look for a fifth. If there’s a fifth word that fits, the category isn't what you think it is. Or, more likely, one of those words is a "red herring" designed to make you waste a guess. Look at the word "Love." In tennis, it means zero. In 1960s culture, it’s a movement. In a deck of cards, it’s... well, it’s not there, but "Heart" is. The editors love to mix sports terminology with household items or common idioms.
Real Examples of Past Sports Brutality
Let’s look at some actual puzzles that ruined people's mornings. On August 29, 2023, the grid included "Dunk," "Layup," "Free Throw," and "Jump Shot." That’s a straightforward "Basketball Shots" category. That’s a "Yellow" (easy) category. But then you get the subtle ones. Remember the "Places to Play Sports" category? It had "Court," "Field," "Rink," and "Course." People missed it because "Court" was being eyed for a legal category and "Field" was being looked at as a verb meaning to handle a question.
Then there are the equipment-based hints for sports connections. You’ll see "Bat," "Club," "Racket," and "Stick." On the surface, it’s easy. But what if "Bat" is grouped with "Ball," "Glove," and "Base"? Or what if "Club" is grouped with "Spade," "Heart," and "Diamond"? The complexity isn't in the sports knowledge itself; it’s in the overlap with other lexicons.
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Honestly, sometimes the "sports" category isn't even about the game. It’s about the geography. You might see "Dallas," "Denver," "Detroit," and "Dolphins." Wait, Dolphins isn't a city. But they are all NFL teams (the first three being the Cowboys, Broncos, and Lions). If you aren't looking for that specific link, you’ll just see a list of D-words and get frustrated.
How to Handle Names and Mononyms
This is the hardest part. The NYT loves using last names. If you see "Ali," "Pele," "Jordan," and "Woods," you’re looking at "Athletes Known by One Name." But they rarely make it that simple anymore. They’ll give you names that double as verbs.
- Rose (Pete Rose / The flower)
- Rice (Jerry Rice / The food)
- Bush (Reggie Bush / The plant)
- Early (Glenn Early... okay, maybe not, but you get the point)
When searching for hints for sports connections involving names, ask yourself: Does this word have a double meaning? If it doesn't, it’s probably the "anchor" of the category. A word like "Quarterback" is almost impossible to use in any other context than football. If you see it, the category is sports. If you see "Center," you're in trouble. "Center" could be sports (basketball/hockey position), it could be a middle point, or it could be a shopping hub.
The "Hidden" Sports Categories
Sometimes the connection is one step removed. It’s not "Sports Teams," but "Things Found in a Stadium."
- Scoreboard
- Bleachers
- Concession Stand
- Turf
Or perhaps it’s "Verbs Used in Sports That Aren't Sports-Specific."
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- Drive (Golf/Racing)
- Service (Tennis)
- Pass (Football/Basketball)
- Check (Hockey)
If you find yourself stuck, try to say the words out loud in a "sports caster" voice. It sounds silly, but it works. "He drives to the lane!" "A beautiful service!" If the word feels natural in that context, you’ve found your lead.
Essential Hints for Sports Connections: A Cheat Sheet for the Brain
Since I can't give you a table (and wouldn't want to make it that easy), let's walk through the mental checklist you should use when you suspect a sports category is afoot.
First, look for the "Venue." Is there a word that describes where a game happens? "Pitch," "Diamond," "Gridiron," "Track," "Court," "Ring," "Velodrome." If you see two of these, look for the other two. They are almost always a set.
Second, check for "Scoring." "Goal," "Point," "Run," "Touchdown," "Basket," "Try" (that’s a rugby one that trips up Americans), "Birdie," "Eagle."
Third, and this is the "Purple Category" special: "Numbers." Think about the jersey numbers of icons. 23 (Jordan/LeBron), 42 (Jackie Robinson), 99 (Gretzky). If the NYT starts putting numbers in the grid, they are either math-related or sports-related. There is no in-between.
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Why We Fail at These Hints
We fail because we get "sports brain." We think about the standings. We think about who won the Super Bowl. The NYT Connections doesn't care about the standings. It cares about the words.
A few months ago, there was a category that included "Knicks," "Liberty," "Nets," and "Rangers." If you live in New York, that’s easy—New York sports teams. If you live in London or Tokyo, that is a nightmare. This is the inherent bias of the puzzle. It is very North American-centric. If you see "Maple Leaf" or "Canadiens," you better know your hockey, or you’re going to burn through your four mistakes fast.
Actionable Strategies for Your Next Grid
Stop clicking as soon as you see three teams. It’s a trap. It’s almost always a trap. If you see "Giants," "Jets," and "Mets," don't look for the "Yankees." Look for "Sharks" or "Kings." They want to see if you can bridge different sports (NFL, NHL, MLB) under one city or one theme (like "New York Teams" or "Royal Titles").
- Identify the "Multi-Sport" words. Words like "Cap," "Coach," "Draft," and "Season" can apply to anything. Don't build a category around them first. Use them as the final pieces of the puzzle.
- Look for "Linguistic" sports. Sometimes the category is "Starts with a Sport." Examples: "Football," "Snowball," "Basketball," "Baseball." Except the category isn't sports; it's "___ Ball."
- Check the Olympics. Every couple of years, the "Events" category becomes huge. "Snatch," "Clean," "Jerk" (Weightlifting) or "Vault," "Floor," "Beam" (Gymnastics).
- The "Part of" Trick. Is the word a part of a piece of equipment? "String," "Frame," "Grip," "Head" (all parts of a tennis racket).
The most effective hints for sports connections usually involve looking for the word that doesn't fit the obvious theme. If you have "Eagle," "Birdie," "Bogey," and "Par," that’s too easy. Wyna Liu would more likely give you "Eagle," "Condor," "Albatross," and "Ostrich." Only three of those are golf terms (though an Albatross is a rare double-eagle). The "Ostrich" is there to make you think "Birds," while the others are "Under-Par Golf Scores."
To truly master this, you have to realize that the "Sports" category is often just a "Vocabulary" category in disguise. It’s about how these words function in the English language, not just on the field. The next time you open the app, take a breath. Look for the fifth word. If it's there, keep hunting. The real connection is usually hiding just behind the most obvious one.
Start by isolating the most obscure sports term first. If you see "Epee" or "Saber," you know you're looking for Fencing. It’s much easier to find the three words that match "Epee" than it is to find the three words that match "Ball." Work from the specific to the general, and your win streak will stay alive.