The New York Times Games’ daily sports-themed puzzle is back for November 1, 2026. Connections: Sports Edition #769 challenges players to categorize 16 words related to athletics into four groups of four. Today’s grid features a heavy emphasis on football officiating and track-and-field logistics, with several overlapping terms designed to mislead.
Hints for November 1 Connections: Sports Edition
If you are looking for a nudge in the right direction without seeing the full solution yet, these hints describe the themes of today’s groups.
- Yellow Hint: These are common infractions that result in a referee throwing a yellow flag during a football game.
- Green Hint: You will find these specific data points in the box score of a football game to measure team efficiency.
- Blue Hint: Various disciplines of a combat sport that involves grappling and pinning an opponent.
- Purple Hint: These terms are exclusive to track events where athletes work in teams to carry an object to the finish line.
Overlapping Words to Watch For
There are several red herrings in today’s puzzle. HOLDING is a prominent one; while it is a common wrestling technique, it serves as a specific infraction in the football category. Similarly, ARM might seem out of place due to its brevity, but it refers specifically to Arm Wrestling. ANCHOR is used here in its track-and-field sense, referring to the final runner in a relay, rather than its nautical or media broadcasting definitions.
SPOILER WARNING: Answers for November 1
Below are the completed groups and answers for today’s puzzle. Do not scroll further if you want to keep solving on your own.
Yellow: Football Penalties
- CLIPPING
- DELAY OF GAME
- HOLDING
- OFFSIDE
Explanation: These are all common rules violations in American football that lead to yardage penalties.
Green: Football Team Stats
- FIRST DOWNS
- TIME OF POSSESSION
- TURNOVER MARGIN
- YARDS PER PLAY
Explanation: These metrics are used by analysts and coaches to evaluate a team’s performance over the course of a game.
Blue: Types of Wrestling
- ARM
- FOLKSTYLE
- GRECO-ROMAN
- SUMO
Explanation: This group covers various global disciplines of wrestling, ranging from Olympic styles to traditional Japanese sumo.
Purple: Relay Race Terms
- ANCHOR
- BATON
- CHANGEOVER
- EXCHANGE ZONE
Explanation: These terms describe the equipment and specific actions required during a track-and-field relay race, such as passing the baton in the designated zone.
