Today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, published on , centers around Super Bowl-related trivia. The game, a daily offering from The Athletic, challenges players to group sixteen words into four categories based on shared connections. It differs from the original NYT Connections in that it’s published by The Athletic and isn’t available within the NYT Games app, though it can be played for free online or through The Athletic’s app.
Hints for Today’s Puzzle
If you’re finding today’s puzzle challenging, here are hints, progressing from the easiest to the most difficult category. These are designed to nudge you in the right direction without giving away the answers directly.
Yellow Group Hint: This category focuses on key numerical measurements for quarterbacks.
Green Group Hint: Think about iconic performers who have graced the Super Bowl halftime stage – specifically, those who brought a memorable show.
Blue Group Hint: This group consists of players who have received the highest individual honor in the Super Bowl.
Purple Group Hint: Consider what often follows the name of this major sporting event.
Answers Revealed
If you’d prefer to see the solutions directly, the answers for each category are outlined below. Be warned: revealing the answers will spoil the challenge!
Yellow: Stats for a QB
The words in this category represent fundamental statistics used to evaluate quarterback performance: completions, interceptions, touchdowns, and yards. These metrics are routinely tracked and analyzed to assess a quarterback’s effectiveness.
Green: Super Bowl Halftime Show Performers
This group brings together artists who have headlined the Super Bowl halftime show: Gaga (Lady Gaga, Super Bowl LI 2017), Lamar (Kendrick Lamar, Super Bowl LIX 2025), Mars (Bruno Mars, Super Bowl XLVIII 2014 & XLIX 2015), and Petty (Tom Petty, Super Bowl XLII 2008). The Super Bowl halftime show is a cultural phenomenon, and these artists have all delivered iconic performances.
Blue: Super Bowl MVPs
The words in this category represent players who have been named Most Valuable Player of the Super Bowl: Branch (Devin Branch, Super Bowl XXXIX 2005), Hurts (Jalen Hurts – a forward-looking inclusion fitting the MVP pattern), Montana (Joe Montana, multiple Super Bowl MVPs), and Rice (Jerry Rice, Super Bowl XXIII MVP). These players delivered exceptional performances on the biggest stage in American football.
Purple: Super Bowl ____
This category is a bit more abstract, focusing on terms commonly associated with the Super Bowl: LX (representing Super Bowl 60), MVP (Most Valuable Player), squares (referencing Super Bowl squares, a popular game), and Sunday (the day the Super Bowl is traditionally played). This category requires a broader understanding of the cultural context surrounding the event.
Connections: Sports Edition offers a daily mental challenge for sports fans, testing their knowledge of the games, players, and traditions that define the world of athletics. The puzzle’s difficulty is rated at 3.5 out of 5, suggesting a moderate level of challenge for those familiar with the subject matter.
