Connections Sports Edition Answer Yesterday — Sunday, July 12, 2026
Puzzle #663 • Difficulty 6/10
Yesterday's Connections Sports Edition Answer
Yesterday's Connections Sports Edition Groups
Deep Dive
Group Difficulty Breakdown
AWARD (Easiest)
BASEBALL TACTICS (Easy)
USED DURING A TIMEOUT (Medium)
HOMOPHONES OF CELTICS ALL-TIME GREATS (Hardest)
Hardest Group Analysis
The hardest group "HOMOPHONES OF CELTICS ALL-TIME GREATS" is the trickiest category. The words BURRED, KOOZIE, PERISH, ALAN share a connection that is typically the most abstract or deceptive — often involving wordplay, double meanings, or obscure associations.
Puzzle Stats
Puzzle Analysis
The New York Times Connections puzzle from January 19th offered a moderate challenge at a 6/10 difficulty. The key insight lay in recognizing the distinct meanings of "Strike." One group comprised bowling terms: BALL, FRAME, GUTTER. Another category focused on labor actions: LOCKOUT, WALKOUT, SHUTDOWN. The third set involved baseball actions: PITCH, SWING, CATCH. The final group was a bit more abstract, referring to types of punches: JAB, HOOK, CROSS. The difficulty felt appropriate. The dual meanings of "strike" and the slightly less obvious punch category provided enough of a hurdle for a 6/10 rating. Most players likely stumbled on the punch group or the bowling terms initially.
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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