The NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for October 20, 2026, is number 757. This daily challenge tests your knowledge across various athletic disciplines, from collegiate conferences to professional franchise histories. If you are stuck on today’s grid, these hints will guide you through the connections without spoiling the results immediately.
Hints for Today’s Groups
If you prefer to find the answers on your own, use these progressive hints to narrow down the categories:
- Yellow: These words describe the act of stopping an opponent’s scoring attempt, particularly in basketball or soccer.
- Green: These represent locations tied to a specific NCAA Division I athletic conference found in the Western United States.
- Blue: This group consists of surnames belonging to prolific quarterbacks who lead a specific NFC West team in career passing yards.
- Purple: These terms are all connected to the career and identity of a single high-profile NBA point guard known for his intensity and statistical versatility.
Stronger Hints: For the Green group, think of the Mountain West Conference. For Blue, look at the historical depth chart of the San Francisco 49ers. For Purple, consider the player who famously wore number zero and broke the career triple-double record.
Final Answers and Groups
SPOILER WARNING: The full solution for Connections: Sports Edition #757 follows below. Only scroll further if you are ready to see the grouped answers.
Yellow: Rejects a Shot
These terms all describe a defensive player stopping a ball or puck from reaching the net or hoop.
- BLOCKS
- DENIES
- STUFFS
- SWATS
Green: Mountain West Schools
As of the 2026 athletic season, these four schools remain key members of the Mountain West Conference.
- HAWAII
- NEVADA
- NEW MEXICO
- WYOMING
Blue: 49ers Career Passing Leaders
This group highlights the historical excellence of San Francisco 49ers quarterbacks. While Joe Montana and Steve Young are household names, John Brodie and Jeff Garcia also rank among the franchise’s all-time passing leaders.
- BRODIE
- GARCIA
- MONTANA
- YOUNG
Purple: Associated with Russell Westbrook
These clues trace the career of NBA legend Russell Westbrook, from his college days at UCLA and his long tenure in Oklahoma City to his signature jersey number (0) and his record-breaking frequency of recording triple-doubles.
- 0
- OKLAHOMA CITY
- TRIPLE-DOUBLES
- UCLA
According to Mashable, today’s puzzle requires a mix of specific NBA trivia and a deep dive into NFL franchise records to complete the blue and purple categories successfully.
