For wordplay enthusiasts and sports buffs alike, The New York Times’ Connections Sports Edition continues to be a daily dose of brain-teasing fun. The game, a sporty spin-off of the popular Connections puzzle, challenges players to group 16 seemingly random words into four categories — all tied to the world of sports. A collaboration between The New York Times and The Athletic, this edition updates daily at midnight Eastern Time, keeping puzzle solvers on their toes with fresh, theme-based groupings.
As the NYT puts it, the objective is to “group sports terms that share a common thread.” With just four clusters to crack, it may sound easy, but the clever word choices often leave players second-guessing their instincts.
Hints That Splash, Swing, and Sprint
To help solvers find their footing on Monday, May 26, the puzzle came with some nudges in the right direction. The clues hinted at thematic zones: sports that share a similar environment, terms tied to Major League Baseball, connections to Ivy League teams, and casual names for familiar sports.
These subtle hints served as a springboard for players trying to piece together the logic behind the 16 words. Whether you’re a water sports aficionado or a college sports historian, there was something for everyone in this lineup.
Here’s how the categories panned out:
- Yellow: AQUATIC SPORTS
- Green: AL CENTRAL TEAMS
- Blue: IVY LEAGUE TEAM NICKNAMES
- Purple: SHORTENED NAMES FOR SPORTS
The Full Breakdown of Today’s Answers
For those who didn’t quite make it to the finish line — or just want to check their work — the full answers to Connections Sports Edition #245 are as follows:
- AQUATIC SPORTS: DIVING, SURFING, SWIMMING, WATER POLO
- AL CENTRAL TEAMS: GUARDIANS, ROYALS, TWINS, WHITE SOX
- IVY LEAGUE TEAM NICKNAMES: BIG RED, CRIMSON, QUAKERS, TIGERS
- SHORTENED NAMES FOR SPORTS: FOOTY, HOOPS, LAX, XC
With categories ranging from MLB divisions to academic team mascots, today’s puzzle was both a challenge and a celebration of sporting culture. Whether you solved it in one go or took a few tries to crack the code, the Sports Edition is proving to be a fun, themed detour from your typical word game.
And with a new puzzle every day, you’ll have plenty of chances to sharpen your sports trivia and puzzle prowess, one group of four at a time.
