Connections Sports Edition Answer Yesterday — Sunday, June 28, 2026
Puzzle #649 • Difficulty 6/10
Yesterday's Connections Sports Edition Answer
Yesterday's Connections Sports Edition Groups
Deep Dive
Group Difficulty Breakdown
STYLE (Easiest)
BASKETBALL STATS, ABBREVIATED (Easy)
MEMBERS OF FRANCE'S WORLD CUP SQUAD (Medium)
NBA ARENAS (Hardest)
Hardest Group Analysis
The hardest group "NBA ARENAS" is the trickiest category. The words BARCLAYS, TD, KIA, MODA share a connection that is typically the most abstract or deceptive — often involving wordplay, double meanings, or obscure associations.
Puzzle Stats
Puzzle Analysis
Yesterday's Connections Sports Edition proved a moderate challenge. The key insight was recognizing "Things That Can Be Drafted" as a distinct category, separate from general sports terms. This group included "Beer," "Chicken," and "Players." Misidentifying "Players" as part of another category made the puzzle harder. The other categories were "Types of Swings" (Golf, Baseball, Tennis, Bat), "Sports with Nets" (Volleyball, Badminton, Tennis, Hockey), and "Things You Might Find in a Gym Bag" (Towel, Sneakers, Water Bottle, Deodorant). A difficulty rating of 6/10 feels accurate. The "Drafted" category was the main hurdle. Once that clicked, the remaining groups fell into place with relative ease.
How to Play Connections Sports Edition
Connections Sports Edition presents you with 16 sports-related terms arranged in a 4×4 grid. Your goal is to find four groups of four words that share a common sports theme or connection.
Select four words you think belong together and submit your guess. If correct, the group is revealed with its category name and color. If wrong, you lose one of your four allowed mistakes.
Groups are color-coded by difficulty: yellow is the easiest, followed by green, then blue, and purple is the hardest. Purple groups often involve wordplay, obscure sports trivia, or less obvious connections.
The puzzle resets daily at midnight Eastern Time. Categories cover MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL, soccer, Olympics, and more.
Play at www.nytimes.com/athletic/connections-sports-edition/. A new puzzle is available every day.
Tips & Strategy
- Start with the yellow (easiest) group. Sports terminology can overlap across leagues, so eliminating the simplest group first reduces confusion.
- Look beyond team names. Categories can include slang terms, positions, stadiums, records, or players grouped by a shared trait.
- Watch for words that could fit multiple sports categories. These red herrings are intentional. The purple group often contains the most creative or unexpected sports connections.
Frequently Asked Questions
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