The New York Times has a new daily word game for sports fans, and today’s puzzle is all about bicycles, hockey nicknames, Atlanta basketball, and fields. The game is called Connections: Sports Edition, and it is a version of the popular NYT word game that tests sports knowledge instead of general trivia.
The game resets after midnight, just like Wordle, and each new set of words gets trickier. The New York Times has published hints and answers for September 30, 2026, so anyone who wants to skip the solving can head straight to the solution at the bottom of the page. For everyone else, the paper has offered clues, tips, and strategies to help crack the puzzle.
How Connections Works
Connections is played on both web browsers and mobile devices. The goal is to group four words that share something in common, and each grouping is split into four categories. The game features 16 words total, with each category color-coded for difficulty: yellow is the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple.
Correctly guessing all four words in a set removes those words from the board. Get it wrong and it counts as a mistake — players get up to four mistakes before the game ends. Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier.
The Categories for Today
The NYT has shared hints for each of today’s categories without naming them directly. Here is what the paper gave:
- Yellow: Bicycles
- Green: NHL nicknames
- Blue: Atlanta basketball
- Purple: Things where a field may be involved
For readers who need a little extra help, the paper then named the categories outright. The yellow category is Parts of a Bicycle, the green category is NHL Teams, Informally, the blue category is Atlanta Dream Players, and the purple category is Field.
The Answers to Today’s Puzzle
The full solution to Connections: Sports Edition #737 is revealed at the end of the article. Here are the answers broken down by category:
- Parts of a Bicycle: BRAKE, PEDAL, SADDLE, SPOKE
- NHL Teams, Informally: AVS, CAPS, ISLES, LEAFS
- Atlanta Dream Players: CANADA, GRAY, HOWARD, REESE
- Field: GOAL, HOCKEY, HOUSE, TURF
Anyone who got stuck can check the answers now, and anyone who wants to save the challenge for later can turn back before scrolling down.
Why Today’s Puzzle Is Easier for Some
The NYT has noted that today’s puzzle will be easier for people who have watched BMX racing. That detail suggests the bicycle category draws on familiar ground for fans of that sport, even if the other categories — like the Atlanta Dream players — may require some research.
The game is published in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication’s sports coverage. That partnership means the sports-specific content is curated with sports fans in mind.
What the Difficulty Colors Mean
The color-coding system mirrors Wordle’s familiar structure. Yellow is the easiest category, followed by green, blue, and purple. That ordering suggests the bicycle category is designed for players who want an early win, while the purple category, which includes words related to fields, is the toughest.
Players who want to start with the simplest set can look for the yellow grouping first. Those who are confident can jump straight to the purple and see if they can crack the hardest set first.
Solving the Puzzle Yourself
The NYT’s hints are deliberately vague, giving a theme without naming the exact words. That approach lets players work through the puzzle before checking the answers, which is the whole point of a word game.
The strategy advice is simple: use the shuffle feature to reorder the board, and focus on one category at a time. Once a set is solved, the words disappear, and the remaining words become easier to spot.
More Puzzles From Mashable
The NYT’s sports edition is not the only daily puzzle available. The paper also runs NYT Strands, and Mashable offers a games hub with Mahjong, Sudoku, free crosswords, and more.
For readers who want variety, there is plenty to choose from beyond today’s Connections.
The Bottom Line on Today’s Puzzle
Today’s Connections: Sports Edition is a fair challenge, and the hints make it accessible for players who want a push. The answers are now public, so anyone who missed them can see how the bicycle parts, hockey nicknames, Atlanta Dream players, and field-related words fit together.
The game is a fun way to spend a few minutes each day, and the color-coded difficulty means players can pick their poison depending on how their morning is going. Whether you are a BMX fan or just curious about Atlanta basketball, the puzzle offers something for everyone who follows sports.
For anyone who struggled, the consolation is that there is a new puzzle waiting tomorrow. The NYT has promised more helpful hints for the next edition, so today’s defeat is not permanent. Just remember: the solution is always at the bottom of the page, and the hints are there to help you get there yourself.
| Category | Color | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| Parts of a Bicycle | Yellow | Easy |
| NHL Teams, Informally | Green | Medium |
| Atlanta Dream Players | Blue | Harder |
| Field | Purple | Hardest |
The puzzle is a small pleasure, and the hints are a friendly nudge. For anyone who wants to skip the solving, the answers are above. For everyone else, the challenge is set.
Source material: “NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for September 30, 2026,” Mashable.
Get the Notebook.
The day's best stories and every fresh verdict, in plain English, in your inbox by seven. One email a day, no more.