The NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for September 28, 2026, is number 735. This daily challenge continues to test knowledge of professional leagues, collegiate athletics, and the digital tools fans use to track their favorite players. Today’s board focuses heavily on collegiate identities and specific professional draft history.
Hints for Today’s Connections
If you are looking for a nudge in the right direction without seeing the full solution yet, these hints break down the themes for puzzle #735.
General Theme Hints:
- One category focuses on prominent mascots from a specific NCAA conference.
- Another group features the digital homes for managing your imaginary rosters.
- Look for a specific set of NFL players who all share a common draft-day destiny.
- The most difficult category requires looking at the suffix of each word to find professional basketball teams.
Category-Specific Hints:
- Yellow: These four terms are synonymous with students or athletes at schools in the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
- Green: These are the major platforms used to host and play fantasy football.
- Blue: Every player listed here is an NFL quarterback who was selected specifically in the second round of their respective drafts.
- Purple: Each word in this group ends with the name of a current WNBA franchise.
Spoiler Warning: The Answers
If you are ready to see the categories and the final words for today’s puzzle, they are listed below. Proceed only if you want the full solution for Connections: Sports Edition #735.
Yellow: An SEC Athlete
- BULLDOG, GATOR, RAZORBACK, TIGER
These are common mascots for schools within the Southeastern Conference, representing Georgia, Florida, Arkansas, and several others like LSU, Auburn, or Missouri.
Green: Fantasy Football Apps
- ESPN, FANTRAX, SLEEPER, YAHOO
These four platforms are the primary digital tools used by fans to manage seasonal or dynasty fantasy football leagues.
Blue: NFL QBs Drafted in Second Round
- DALTON, HURTS, LOCK, SHOUGH
This category highlights quarterbacks who entered the league as second-round selections. This includes Tyler Shough, who was a second-round pick in the 2025 draft and plays for the New Orleans Saints in the current 2026 season.
Purple: Ends in a WNBA Team
- DAYDREAM, GRIMACES, HUSKY, THUNDERSTORM
This wordplay category hides WNBA team names at the end of each word: the Atlanta Dream, Las Vegas Aces, Chicago Sky, and Seattle Storm.
