The NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for October 11, 2026, is No. 748. This puzzle number aligns with the game’s launch in September 2024, continuing the daily sports-themed spin on the classic New York Times word-grouping game.
Today’s challenge balances synonym identification with deep-cut sports trivia, focusing on regional college programs and the career trajectory of a current NBA star.
Hints for October 11
If you are looking for a push in the right direction without seeing the final categories, consider these tiered hints:
- Yellow Category Hint: These words describe the act of permitting an opponent to score or admitting defeat in a specific moment.
- Green Category Hint: Every team in this group shares a specific geographic home in the American South-Central region.
- Blue Category Hint: This group follows the professional and collegiate journey of Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton.
- Purple Category Hint: These words look like actual nouns or animals, but they are one vowel swap away from being professional football franchises.
Specific Group Clues
If you need a bit more help with the harder categories:
- Green: Look for three major collegiate programs and one professional basketball team based in the Sooner State.
- Blue: Think about the teams Haliburton played for in the Big 12, his first NBA destination, his current team, and his international appearances.
- Purple: Change the second letter of each word to find the name of an NFL team (e.g., Boars becomes Bears).
SPOILER WARNING: The full answers and category groups for No. 748 are listed below.
Connections: Sports Edition Answers for October 11
According to Mashable, the following are the completed groups for today’s puzzle:
Yellow: Gives Up
ALLOWS, CONCEDES, SURRENDERS, YIELDS
Green: Oklahoma Teams
COWBOYS, GOLDEN HURRICANE, SOONERS, THUNDER
Explanation: This group includes Oklahoma State University (Cowboys), the University of Tulsa (Golden Hurricane), the University of Oklahoma (Sooners), and the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder.
Blue: Tyrese Haliburton Teams
CYCLONES, KINGS, PACERS, USA
Explanation: Tyrese Haliburton played for the Iowa State Cyclones in college before being drafted by the Sacramento Kings. He was later traded to the Indiana Pacers and represented Team USA in international competition.
Purple: NFL Teams with the Second Letter Changed
BOARS, BULLS, GRANTS, RIMS
Explanation: By changing the second letter, these words become the Bears, Bills, Giants, and Rams. Note that BULLS is a distractor that also refers to an NBA team, but fits the NFL letter-swap pattern here.
