The October 24, 2026, NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, numbered 761, features a challenging mix of collegiate geography and professional career paths. Today’s grid requires players to navigate several “Hill” references and recognize recent shifts in college football conferences.
Hints for October 24 Connections: Sports Edition
If you are looking for a nudge without the full solution, these hints should help you categorize the words:
- Yellow: These terms describe the specific area on a baseball field where the pitcher stands.
- Green: These are the physical locations or cities associated with schools in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
- Blue: This group identifies the specific progression of teams (college and professional) in the career of NFL linebacker Bruce Irvin.
- Purple: Every word in this group is commonly preceded by the city name “Dallas.”
The Tricky Red Herrings
The most difficult part of today’s puzzle is the word “Hill.” It appears as a standalone answer in the pitching category, but it is also a suffix for two locations in the Green group. Additionally, “Dallas” serves as a location in one group and the thematic anchor for another.
Spoiler Warning: The full answers and category groups for puzzle #761 follow below.
Connections: Sports Edition Answers for October 24
Yellow: Where a Pitcher Throws From
- BUMP
- HILL
- MOUND
- RUBBER
This group covers the various names for the raised area on a baseball diamond. While “Mound” is the most common term, “Bump” and “Hill” are frequent synonyms used by broadcasters, and the “Rubber” refers to the rectangular plate the pitcher must touch.
Green: ACC School Locations
- CHAPEL HILL (North Carolina)
- CHESTNUT HILL (Boston College)
- DALLAS (SMU)
- PALO ALTO (Stanford)
This category highlights the expanded geography of the ACC. While Chapel Hill and Chestnut Hill are traditional locations, the inclusion of Dallas and Palo Alto reflects the 2024 addition of SMU and Stanford to the conference.
Blue: Teams Bruce Irvin Played For
- JETS
- RAIDERS
- SEAHAWKS
- WEST VIRGINIA
This group tracks the career of Bruce Irvin. He played his college football at West Virginia before being drafted by the Seattle Seahawks. He also had notable stints with the Raiders and the Jets during his NFL tenure. This is a common pattern in the Sports Edition, where three professional teams are paired with the player’s alma mater.
Purple: Dallas ____
- CLARK (Former NFL Tight End)
- COWBOYS (NFL Team)
- GOEDERT (NFL Tight End Dallas Goedert)
- STARS (NHL Team)
This category uses “Dallas” as a prefix. It includes two professional franchises located in Texas (Cowboys and Stars) and two prominent NFL tight ends who share the first name Dallas (Clark and Goedert).
For more daily puzzle solutions and gameplay strategies, you can check detailed breakdowns on CNET.
