The New York Times ’ daily puzzle game, Connections, released a special Sports Edition today (#417). This version, published by The Athletic, requires players to group together four words linked by a common theme. If you’re stuck, this guide provides hints and complete answers for the November 14th puzzle.
Understanding the Puzzle
Connections challenges players to identify hidden relationships between sixteen words, categorizing them into four groups of four. The difficulty varies, with categories ranging from straightforward to highly obscure. This version is considered challenging due to its focus on sports-specific knowledge.
Hints by Difficulty
Here’s a breakdown of hints, from easiest to hardest, to help you solve the puzzle without spoiling everything:
- Yellow (Easiest): This group relates to removing someone from competition.
- Green: These are professional sports teams from the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
- Blue: Think about teams poised for success in the upcoming 2025 championship seasons.
- Purple (Hardest): All four words complete the phrase “____ race.”
Complete Answers
If you prefer to skip straight to the solution, here are the categories and their corresponding words:
- Yellow: Bounce, Defeat, Eliminate, Knock Out (Theme: Removing from Competition)
- Green: Cowboys, Mavericks, Rangers, Stars (Theme: Dallas-Fort Worth Teams)
- Blue: Aces, Dodgers, Eagles, Thunder (Theme: Teams to Win Championships in 2025)
- Purple: Horse, Pennant, Relay, Road (Theme: ____ Race)
Difficulty Varies by Sport Knowledge
The difficulty of Connections, especially in the Sports Edition, depends heavily on your familiarity with various sports. Some recent particularly challenging puzzles included identifying Series A Clubs, WNBA MVPs, and obscure Premier League team nicknames. This highlights how niche knowledge can significantly impact solving speed and success.
The Sports Edition requires a broader range of sports knowledge than the standard Connections game, making it more difficult for casual players.
The puzzle emphasizes that specialized knowledge, whether in Formula 1, hockey, or regional teams, dramatically influences performance.
