The Tuesday edition of NYT Connections Sports Edition arrives with puzzle #750, serving up a mix of campus athletics, sporting equipment and standout seasons, with a vocabulary foothold to get you started.
What Makes Connections Sports Edition Tick
For newcomers, NYT Connections Sports Edition presents 16 sports-themed words that must be sorted into four thematic groups of four. The twist? You're limited to four mistakes, and the color-coded difficulty system (yellow being easiest, purple being trickiest) means surface-level connections often mislead.
Connections Sports Edition brings the same addictive puzzle format to the world of athletics, featuring athletes, teams, sports terminology, and legendary moments. The game's genius lies in its red herrings, words that could fit multiple sports categories but belong in only one.
Today's Grid at a Glance
Here are the 16 words staring back at you in puzzle #750:
VILLANOVA | PENN | HOLIDAY | KEROLIN
DUNLOP | PROVIDENCE | BABOLAT | HOWLER
CHAWINGA | CREIGHTON | ERROR | WILSON
DEPAUL | BLUNDER | FISHLOCK | FLUB
A seemingly random collection that somehow connects into four perfect categories.
Strategic Hints (No Spoilers Yet)
Yellow Category Nudge: Think about moments a competitor would rather replay.
Green Category Clue: Look toward the campus side of the sporting world.
Blue Category Hint: Think about the equipment competitors bring into play.
Purple Category Teaser: Consider recognition earned through a standout season.
The Full Solutions
Last chance to solve independently: answers below
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Yellow (Mistake): BLUNDER, ERROR, FLUB, HOWLER
BLUNDER, ERROR, FLUB and HOWLER all fit MISTAKE. Each names something that went wrong, with HOWLER adding a stronger sense of an especially glaring slip.
Green (Big East Schools): CREIGHTON, DEPAUL, PROVIDENCE, VILLANOVA
VILLANOVA, DEPAUL, CREIGHTON and PROVIDENCE form BIG EAST SCHOOLS. The shared conference is the connection that makes this a tighter set than simply spotting college names.
PENN creates the clearest detour because it also names a university. A broad college grouping can pull you away from the conference connection.
Blue (Tennis Ball Brands): BABOLAT, DUNLOP, PENN, WILSON
WILSON, PENN, DUNLOP and BABOLAT belong together as TENNIS BALL BRANDS. Keep the connection at that specific product level to see why all four fit.
Purple (NWSL MVPs): CHAWINGA, FISHLOCK, HOLIDAY, KEROLIN
CHAWINGA, FISHLOCK, KEROLIN and HOLIDAY form NWSL MVPS. Their shared distinction is the league's Most Valuable Player honor.
The key is reading these entries as player names. HOLIDAY's everyday meaning offers a distraction, but the shared award supplies the connection.
The Verdict
Yellow looks like the first foothold because its connection rests on everyday vocabulary. The sharpest trap sits between green and blue, where PENN tempts a college grouping before the conference requirement sorts it out.
Purple is the strongest candidate to decide a streak, since recognizing the names still leaves the shared honor to identify. That gives this grid a demanding finish for anyone whose sports knowledge runs deeper in equipment and college athletics than women's soccer.
Reset and Repeat
Take PENN's double identity as today's reminder to test the precise connection before committing. Come back tomorrow for a fresh grid and another chance to turn a tempting association into a complete set.
For now, puzzle #750 is solved. See you at midnight for the next round.
