The Saturday edition of NYT Connections Sports Edition arrives with puzzle #782, serving up a mix of rink technique, roster knowledge and a spelling twist that rewards a second look.
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 #782:
AXEL | LENDEBORG | AARON | TALL
SALCHOW | SHOHEI | GREEN | LUTZ
NAYLOR | MOOKIE | YORDAN | CURRY
HOOK | LOOP | HORFORD | TALKER
A seemingly random collection that somehow connects into four perfect categories.
Strategic Hints (No Spoilers Yet)
Yellow Category Nudge: Think about what competitors execute during a judged routine.
Green Category Clue: Consider a shared team connection on the hardwood.
Blue Category Hint: Think about a particular season-long honor, and how fans casually refer to its winners.
Purple Category Teaser: Try a small spelling adjustment before reaching for another sports connection.
The Full Solutions
Last chance to solve independently: answers below
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Yellow (Figure Skating Jumps): AXEL, LOOP, LUTZ, SALCHOW
AXEL, LOOP, LUTZ and SALCHOW are all figure skating jumps. Each names a specific jump rather than a general movement on the ice.
Green (Golden State Warriors): CURRY, GREEN, HORFORD, LENDEBORG
CURRY, LENDEBORG, GREEN and HORFORD form the Golden State Warriors group. The connection is a shared team affiliation.
HOOK offers a basketball distraction because a hook is a type of shot. That connection is broader than the team link the group requires.
Blue (AL MVPs, Familiarly): AARON, MOOKIE, SHOHEI, YORDAN
YORDAN, AARON, SHOHEI and MOOKIE make up the AL MVPs, familiarly category. These entries use the first names or nicknames fans know them by, switching the naming convention from the surnames in the basketball group.
Purple (NFL RBs, With The First Letter Changed): HOOK, NAYLOR, TALKER, TALL
Change the first letter of each entry to recover an NFL running back surname. NAYLOR becomes TAYLOR, TALL becomes HALL, HOOK becomes COOK and TALKER becomes WALKER.
The Verdict
Yellow looks like the cleanest opening because AXEL, LUTZ and SALCHOW point firmly toward the ice, giving LOOP a precise home. The two athlete groups then test team knowledge and award recognition.
The sharpest trap is HOOK, which can pull attention toward basketball before its spelling role becomes clear. Purple is the streak-deciding group because recognizing the sport alone does not finish the job.
Reset and Repeat
Take the first-letter trick into tomorrow's grid as a useful second check when sports knowledge leaves an awkward entry behind. Come back tomorrow for another set of hints and explanations.
For now, puzzle #782 is solved. See you at midnight for the next round.