The New York Times ’ Sports Edition of the daily Connections puzzle for November 25th (#428) has been released. The game challenges players to group words into four categories based on shared themes. For those seeking assistance, here’s a breakdown of the hints and answers.
Puzzle Overview
Connections: Sports Edition is a word-association game where the goal is to identify four groups of four words each. The difficulty varies, with categories ranging from straightforward to unexpectedly obscure. Unlike the main NYT Connections, this edition appears exclusively in The Athletic app or online, not in the NYT Games app.
Hints and Solutions
The puzzle’s difficulty is subjective, depending on familiarity with sports terminology. Here’s how today’s categories break down:
Yellow (Easiest): Football Defensive Positions
– Cornerback
– Defensive End
– Free Safety
– Nose Tackle
Green: Los Angeles Sporting Venues
– Dodger Stadium
– Intuit Dome
– L.A. Coliseum
– Rose Bowl
Blue: Awards for Winning Golf Tournaments
– Claret Jug
– Green Jacket
– Ryder Cup
– Wanamaker Trophy
Purple (Hardest): Things with Pockets
– Backfield
– Baseball Glove
– Bowling Lane
– Pool Table
Why This Matters
The NYT Connections game is part of a larger trend of interactive, daily puzzles that drive engagement with The New York Times and The Athletic. These puzzles, including Wordle and Strands, are designed to be shareable and habit-forming. The Sports Edition caters specifically to sports enthusiasts, leveraging the popularity of athletic terminology and trivia.
Challenging Past Categories
Previous editions have included particularly difficult groupings. Some examples:
- Series A Clubs (Jan. 11): Atalanta, Juventus, Lazio, Roma
- WNBA MVPs (Jan. 21): Catchings, Delle Donne, Fowles, Stewart
- Premier League Team Nicknames (Jan. 17): Bees, Cherries, Foxes, Hammers
The puzzle’s success hinges on creating categories that are both logical and unexpected, keeping players coming back for the next daily challenge.
