Connections Sports Edition Answer Yesterday — Saturday, September 26, 2026
Puzzle #739 • Difficulty 6/10
Yesterday's Connections Sports Edition Answer
Yesterday's Connections Sports Edition Groups
Deep Dive
Group Difficulty Breakdown
SETTING FOR A NEWS CONFERENCE (Easiest)
WINNINGEST MLB PITCHERS, INFORMALLY (Easy)
NICKNAMES OF KNICKS, PAST AND PRESENT (Medium)
ATHLETES WHO HAVE HOSTED "SNL" (Hardest)
Hardest Group Analysis
The hardest group "ATHLETES WHO HAVE HOSTED "SNL"" is the trickiest category. The words ROUSEY, PHELPS, KELCE, BARKLEY share a connection that is typically the most abstract or deceptive — often involving wordplay, double meanings, or obscure associations.
Puzzle Stats
Puzzle Analysis
Today's Connections puzzle offered a solid challenge. The "Teams with Mascot Animals" category proved to be the lynchpin. Identifying the connection between the Lions, Bears, Rams, and Bengals unlocked the rest of the board. The "Things You Might Find in a Gym Bag" group was straightforward, containing items like a towel, water bottle, and sneakers. "Baseball Terms" also felt quite accessible with words like "strike," "inning," and "pitch." The final category, "US Cities with 'City' in Their Name," presented the most difficulty. St. Louis, Oklahoma City, Kansas City, and Salt Lake City were the members. The 6/10 difficulty rating feels accurate. It wasn't a walk in the park, but the animal mascot connection offered a strong foothold for solvers.
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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