The New York Times Connections: Sports Edition returns on April 8, 2026, with puzzle #562. The daily word game challenges players to sort 16 sports-related words into four groups of four, each sharing a hidden common theme. Categories are color-coded by difficulty: yellow (easiest), green, blue, and purple (hardest).
Connections: Sports Edition is a spin-off of the original NYT Connections puzzle, tailored specifically for sports fans. Players must identify links between athletes, teams, venues, statistics, or sports terminology to successfully complete each puzzle.
The game allows players up to four mistakes before the puzzle ends. Hints and answers for today's puzzle are widely discussed in gaming and sports communities online, though the full puzzle itself remains behind the NYT subscription paywall.
NYT word games, including Wordle, Spelling Bee, and the Connections series, have grown significantly in popularity since The New York Times expanded its games portfolio. The Sports Edition caters to a dedicated audience of sports enthusiasts looking for a daily mental challenge.
