Today’s Connections puzzle is a Sports Edition that leans into two things puzzle solvers love: clean wordplay and slightly stubborn categories. If you’re feeling stuck, you’re not alone—this one is known for a tricky top tier and a purple clue that feels more like a riddle than a sports prompt.
Hints
Yellow (easiest): Think about something that isn’t performing at its best—maybe because it hasn’t been used recently.
Green: Wimbledon essentials point you toward the parts of a tennis racket—components you’d recognize if you’ve ever watched a match up close.
Blue: This one is a team-name trail. The words are tied to members associated with the Oklahoma City Thunder—specifically players you’ve likely seen in NBA coverage.
Purple (toughest): “What time is it?” leads to the classic phrase that follows a blank: a common setup in everyday English. In other words, the missing word is part of a time-related expression.
If you want Crossword-style momentum, try this approach: solve the easiest cluster first, then use any revealed patterns (like shared prefixes/suffixes) to pressure the remaining categories. Sports-themed Connections often rewards that kind of cross-checking.
Answers
Yellow group (out of practice): cold, off, rusty, sluggish
Green group (parts of a tennis racket): butt, grip, grommets, strings
Blue group (members of the Oklahoma City Thunder): Dort, Holmgren, Joe, Wallace
Purple group (____ clock): game, pitch, play, shot
One thing solvers often notice after the fact: the purple category feels “literary” in the moment, but it’s really just a straightforward common phrase once you let the clue do its job. And the green set is a great reminder that athletic vocabulary isn’t only about players—it’s also about the equipment that shapes the sport.
