On July 13, 2025, the latest edition of the NYT Connections: Sports puzzle was released, featuring a variety of engaging themes designed to challenge players. This week’s puzzle, numbered 293, blends sports knowledge with clever wordplay, focusing on topics such as golfing errors, notable teams, and prominent legends in sports. Available weekly through The Athletic, the puzzle offers a fun and logic-driven challenge, with new versions released daily at midnight.
The NYT Sports Connections initially debuted on Super Bowl Sunday, quickly gaining popularity among enthusiasts seeking a quick mental workout. Each puzzle is crafted to test memory, reasoning, and word association, making it a stimulating activity for players. The game employs a color-coded difficulty system, ranging from yellow for easier groups to purple for the most challenging.
Today’s Themes and Challenges
This week’s puzzle consists of four distinct groups, each presenting a unique set of words.
The **yellow group** is the simplest and focuses on common golfing mistakes. Terms such as “duff,” “flub,” “mishit,” and “shank” encapsulate the various ways a golfer can misplay a shot, highlighting that familiar feeling of disappointment—an experience every golfer knows all too well.
Next, the **green group** shifts the focus to team mascots and spirit, specifically paying tribute to the Los Angeles Rams. This cluster includes teams from different levels of play, such as Colorado State, Rhode Island, and VCU, all of which share the horned identity associated with the Rams. It serves as a reminder of how a single mascot can embody diverse sporting traditions.
The **blue group** celebrates the illustrious history of the Sacramento Kings, featuring legendary players like **Vlade Divac**, **Mitch Richmond**, **Peja Stojaković**, and **Chris Webber**. This segment not only tests players’ recall of these iconic figures but also honors the team’s glory days on the court.
Lastly, the **purple group** presents a clever twist by focusing on the prefix “free.” Words such as “agent,” “kick,” “safety,” and “throw” exemplify key concepts in the sports realm, each conveying a sense of energy and unpredictability. This group poses the most significant challenge, requiring players to think creatively to connect the terms.
Engagement and Growth of the Puzzle
The NYT Connections: Sports Edition combines straightforward sports terminology with broader cultural references, keeping players engaged and on their toes. The color-coded system not only organizes the difficulty levels but also enhances the gameplay experience. Yellow represents easy wins, green offers a moderate challenge, blue demands real-time memory recall, and purple provides that final, intricate puzzle twist.
Mistakes are part of the learning process in this game. Each incorrect guess can reveal new insights, encouraging players to rearrange the board and reconsider their approach. This dynamic fosters a rhythm and flow that enhances cognitive engagement.
The puzzle, delivered weekly outside the NYT Games app, continues to build a loyal following. Fans of sports and word challenges appreciate the straightforward access—there are no downloads or sign-ins required. Each new puzzle brings fresh layouts and unexpected patterns, ensuring that returning players always find something new to explore.
As players wrap up today’s edition, they can look forward to tomorrow’s puzzle, set to arrive at midnight. With a new set of challenges waiting, both seasoned veterans and newcomers alike will find plenty to enjoy. For those who successfully completed today’s puzzle, congratulations are in order. For others still working through it, there’s always time to tackle the next challenge waiting just around the corner.
