The latest New York Times Connections puzzle, the Sports Edition (#506, Feb. 11), has been released through The Athletic. This edition is distinct from the standard daily puzzle and is found within The Athletic ‘s app or online for free. If you’re stuck, here are hints and the full solutions broken down by category.
Understanding the Puzzle
Connections presents sixteen words, divided into four groups of four. The challenge is to identify the hidden connections linking each set of terms. Today’s puzzle covers baseball, college athletics, sports personalities, and soccer terminology. Difficulty varies between groups, with the purple category often being the most obscure.
Hints by Category
Here’s a breakdown of hints, from easiest to hardest:
- Yellow Group: Think baseball positions and actions.
- Green Group: Focus on nicknames of college sports teams.
- Blue Group: The connection involves famous athletes with last names starting with a common letter.
- Purple Group: This requires knowledge of British soccer slang.
Answers Revealed
Let’s reveal the solutions for each category:
Yellow Group: Baseball Terms
The theme is elements of a baseball game. The words are:
* Catcher
* Hitter
* Pitcher
* Umpire
Green Group: Big 12 College Teams
This group centers around mascots or nicknames from the Big 12 Conference. The terms are:
* Cyclone (Iowa State)
* Jayhawk (Kansas)
* Sun Devil (Arizona State)
* Ute (Utah)
Blue Group: Sports Personalities
The unifying factor here is the last name of each person, all starting with the letter “B”. The words are:
* Beamon (Bob Beamon, track and field)
* Costas (Bob Costas, sportscaster)
* Feller (Bob Feller, baseball pitcher)
* Uecker (Bob Uecker, baseball player)
Purple Group: Soccer Slang
This is the most challenging category, referencing informal terms used in soccer (football) fandom. The words are:
* Howler (bad shot)
* Screamer (a spectacular goal)
* Sitter (easy goal)
* Worldie (great goal)
The Sports Edition often tests niche sports knowledge, making the purple category particularly difficult for casual fans. This edition’s reliance on British slang further increases the challenge.
This puzzle highlights how The Athletic ‘s Connections differs from the standard NYT Games offerings, catering to a more dedicated sports audience.
