World Cup madness hits the knockout stage today. Naturally. That means today’s Sports Edition puzzle is wearing those colors. It’s the June 28 round. Number 643 if you keep count.
Don’t bother looking for it in the NYT Games app. It lives elsewhere. This one comes from The Athletic. A subscription site. Owned by the same people who publish the newspaper. You’ll find the puzzle in their specific app. Or just play it for free on a browser. No barriers there.
Struggling with the grid? Fair. The sports metaphors can be dense.
Here’s the breakdown from easy yellow to tricky purple.
Yellow group hint: Very cool!
Green group hint: Hoops data.
Blue group hint: Allez les Bleus!
Purple group hint: Where the dunking happens.
That purple clue. Where the dunking happens. Seems specific until you realize it isn’t about the act of jumping. It’s about the building. Confusing, sure.
The Answers
Yellow isn’t hard. It’s just Style.
You’re looking for words that describe how you carry yourself.
* Flair
* Panache
* Pizzazz
* Swagger
Green shifts to the hardwood. Basketball stats. Abbreviated, of course. No full names allowed.
- FG (Field goals)
- FT (Free throws)
- PF (Personal fouls)
- TO (Turnovers)
Blue is pure World Cup fandom. Or at least France support. These are members of France’s squad.
- Barcola
- Gusto
- Mbappé
- Olise
Purple remains the hurdle. Not the dunk. The venues. Specifically, NBA arenas. The brand names slapped on the buildings.
- Barclays
- Kia
- Moda
- TD
Who reads signage like that for fun?
Some days it clicks immediately. Today feels different. You might need a second look at that list. Why not? Just keep scrolling until it makes sense. Or don’t.
