The latest New York Times Connections puzzle, the “Sports Edition” (#431), has arrived. This edition is published by The Athletic, the Times’ sports journalism division, and is accessible through The Athletic app or online for free.
This puzzle challenges players to group sixteen words into four categories based on shared themes. If you’re stuck, here’s a breakdown of the hints and solutions.
Grouping Hints
The puzzle’s difficulty varies by group, with the yellow category being the easiest and purple the hardest.
- Yellow: Focuses on footwear.
- Green: Relates to Olympic sports equipment.
- Blue: Centers around prominent female soccer players.
- Purple: Connects generations of basketball talent.
Solutions Breakdown
Here’s how each group breaks down:
- Yellow (Basketball Sneaker Brands): The answers are Adidas, Jordan, Nike, and Under Armour. These are all major manufacturers in the basketball shoe market.
- Green (First Words of Gymnastics Apparatus): The correct terms are balance, parallel, pommel, and uneven. These are the initial descriptors for common gymnastics equipment like balance beam, parallel bars, pommel horse, and uneven bars.
- Blue (Women’s Soccer Stars): The puzzle requires identifying Bonmatí, Girma, Marta, and Rodman. These athletes represent some of the most influential figures in women’s soccer today.
- Purple (Basketball Father/Son Combos): The solution involves Barry, James, Pippen, and Sabonis. These surnames represent famous basketball dynasties where both fathers and sons achieved prominence in the sport.
These puzzles are designed to test pattern recognition and sports knowledge, offering a daily mental challenge for enthusiasts.
