The latest New York Times Connections puzzle, the Sports Edition, proved challenging for many players today. For those seeking assistance, here’s a breakdown of the hints and solutions for the November 13th (#416) game. This edition, published by The Athletic (a Times -owned sports journalism platform), is available within The Athletic ‘s app or online for free.

Category Breakdown & Hints

The puzzle groups are categorized by difficulty, ranging from easier yellow groups to the notoriously tricky purple group. Here’s a quick guide to the themes:

  • Yellow Group: Relates to equipment used by on-field officials. Think of what referees might carry during a game.
  • Green Group: Focuses on classic films centered around baseball, all starting with the word “The.”
  • Blue Group: Highlights scoring plays worth three points or goals in various sports.
  • Purple Group: A more abstract category referencing the name “Drake” in multiple contexts.

Answers Revealed

Here’s the full solution set for today’s Connections :

  • Yellow Group: Bean bag, coin, flag, and whistle. These are all items commonly used by football referees.
  • Green Group: The Natural, The Pride of the Yankees, The Rookie, and The Sandlot. All four are well-known baseball movies beginning with “The.”
  • Blue Group: Field goal, half-court shot, hat trick, and ringer. These represent scoring plays valued at three points in football, basketball, hockey, and curling respectively.
  • Purple Group: Drake Baldwin, Drake Bulldogs, Drake London, and Drake Maye. These are all references to the name “Drake” across sports (a college football coach, a Canadian university team, an NFL player, and a college quarterback).

Recurring Challenges

The Connections: Sports Edition puzzles are often difficult depending on familiarity with specific sports. Recent exceptionally tough categories include: Serie A Clubs (Atalanta, Juventus, Lazio, Roma), WNBA MVPs (Catchings, Delle Donne, Fowles, Stewart), and Premier League team nicknames (Bees, Cherries, Foxes, Hammers).

The difficulty highlights that specialized sports knowledge can be crucial for success in these puzzles.

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