The grid is weird. Letters everywhere. Not really words.
If you are staring at that mess on your screen trying to find the pattern, stop guessing for a second. Or keep guessing if that is how your brain works. The NYT Connections: Sports Edition for May 27 is live. It comes from The Athletic, so it is not in the main NYT Games app. You have to hunt for it on their platform or just play free in the browser.
Let’s get to it.
Hints First
Because reading spoilers before looking at the puzzle is a bad way to live.
- Yellow: Change the channel.
- Green: Three strikes and you’re out.
- Blue: Hut-hut.
- Purple: Not Jones.
The Answers
Here is what the computer thinks you know about sports.
Yellow Group: Sports TV Networks.
ESPN, FS1, NBA TV, NBCSN.
Basic stuff. If you own a remote you probably know these.
Green Group: Baseball Positions (Abbreviated).
C, OF, P, SS.
Catchers and pitchers are easy. Shortstop? Okay. Outfield? Fine.
Blue Group: Football Positions (Abbreviated).
CB, DT, K, TE.
Cornerback. Defensive Tackle. Kicker. Tight End.
Wait. Where is QB? Not today.
Purple Group: ____ Smith.
JR, Lovie, Ozzie, Stan.
This one hurts. You want to think “Will.” Or “Carl.” Or maybe a specific NFL player whose first name fits. No. It’s Lovie. Ozzie. Stan. And JR.
Is that really the hardest part of sports? Naming conventions.
What Actually Makes It Hard?
Depends on your obsession. My husband will eat Formula 1 trivia for breakfast. My best friend dreams in hockey stats. I know everything about Minnesota sports because I have no choice.
But some categories are just unfair.
- Serie A Clubs. Atalanta, Juventus, Lazio, Roma. You either watch Italian soccer or you don’t. There is no middle ground.
- WNBA MVPs. Catchings, Delle Donne, Fowers, Stewart. Unless you were paying close attention in the late 2000s/early 2010s you are drawing a blank.
- Premier League Nicknames. Bees, Cherries, Foxes, Hammers. West Ham? Brighton? Burnley? Leicester? Maybe you know these. Maybe you just see “Hammers” and think of construction equipment.
We move on to the next puzzle tomorrow. Whether you got four green boxes or five black crosses.
