The Tuesday edition of NYT Connections Sports Edition arrives with puzzle #771, serving up a grid that spans competitive character, sideline care, and courtside knowledge. Everyday meanings offer a foothold, but a shift in perspective helps finish the job.
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 #771:
PAINTER | TAPE | FILM | GRIT
FEW | WEIGHT | GUTS | ICE PACK
METTLE | LOCKER | PRE-WRAP | DRESSING
BANDAGES | DREW | MOXIE | SELF
A seemingly random collection that somehow connects into four perfect categories.
Strategic Hints (No Spoilers Yet)
Yellow Category Nudge: Think about the qualities an athlete brings to a difficult contest.
Green Category Clue: Consider the practical work that supports athletes away from the action.
Blue Category Hint: Familiar words can take on another identity in a sporting context.
Purple Category Teaser: Try extending the entries with a shared extra word.
The Full Solutions
Last chance to solve independently: answers below
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Yellow (Fortitude): GRIT, GUTS, METTLE, MOXIE
GUTS, GRIT, MOXIE, and METTLE all express courage, determination, or resilience, which brings them together under FORTITUDE. Their meanings make this the clearest starting point.
Green (Supplies For An Athletic Trainer): BANDAGES, ICE PACK, PRE-WRAP, TAPE
PRE-WRAP, TAPE, BANDAGES, and ICE PACK make up SUPPLIES FOR AN ATHLETIC TRAINER.
DRESSING creates a convincing medical distraction because a dressing covers a wound. That meaning puts it close to BANDAGES, but its assigned connection belongs elsewhere.
Blue (Men's College Basketball Coaches): DREW, FEW, PAINTER, SELF
DREW, FEW, SELF, and PAINTER connect as men's college basketball coaches, through Scott Drew, Mark Few, Bill Self, and Matt Painter. Reading the entries as surnames unlocks a group whose ordinary meanings give little help.
Purple (_____ Room): DRESSING, FILM, LOCKER, WEIGHT
LOCKER, DRESSING, WEIGHT, and FILM each precede ROOM, producing locker room, dressing room, weight room, and film room. The shared ending gives these otherwise varied entries a precise connection.
The Verdict
Yellow looks like the first group to fall, with four closely related character traits. Green offers another accessible route, but DRESSING beside BANDAGES creates the sharpest trap.
Blue is the likely streak decider because recognizing the coaching surnames requires specific sports knowledge. Purple rewards a flexible reading, especially once DRESSING stops looking like another medical supply.
Reset and Repeat
Carry today's DRESSING detour into tomorrow's grid as a reminder to test a second meaning before committing. Come back tomorrow for another round of sporting connections.
For now, puzzle #771 is solved. See you at midnight for the next round.