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NYT Connections Sports Edition · #693

NYT Connections Sports Edition Hints & Answers (#693) — August 17, 2026

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Earlier Aug 16 This puzzle Aug 17 Later Aug 18

“Lock in the coin toss words first — they are the clearest anchor — then work outward from there rather than trying to solve the harder groups cold.”

NYT Sports Connections hints for August 17, 2026

Three levels of help — a definition for every word, colour-coded group nudges, and a heads-up on the traps. Skip to all answers →

1

Word clues

A spoiler-free definition for every word in the grid. Tap the eye on any card to reveal which colour-group it belongs to.

1 BOUNCEA pass that hits the floor once before reaching the receiver.
2 BRANCHCliff Branch — Raiders wide receiver known for his blazing speed and three Super Bowl rings.
3 CASPERDave Casper — Raiders tight end nicknamed 'The Ghost', not the friendly cartoon one.
4 CHESTThe textbook two-handed pass pushed straight out from the chest.
5 DEFERWinning the toss but choosing to delay your advantage until the second half.
6 DOGGEDStubbornly persistent, like a dog that won't release its grip.
7 DRIVENMotivated from within — nothing to do with a basketball play, just pure determination.
8 GUYRay Guy — Raiders punter and the first specialist punter inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
9 HEADSThe face side of the coin — the classic call in the air.
10 INTENTFocused and resolved — not a foul type, just single-minded purpose.
11 OUTLETA quick pass from a rebounder to start a fast break.
12 POCKETLooks like clothing storage; here it's a tight, close-body pass with little arm movement.
13 RECEIVEChoosing to take the opening kickoff rather than kick it away.
14 SHELLArt Shell — Raiders offensive lineman and Hall of Famer, later the team's head coach.
15 TAILSThe reverse side of the coin — the other half of the classic choice.
16 TENACIOUSHolding on firmly — the most formal synonym of the four.
2

Group hints

Four colour-coded groups, easiest → hardest. Every button reveals the hint, the category name, or a single word — tap only what you need.

See Hint The referee says one of these before the opening kickoff.
See Group WORDS HEARD DURING A COIN TOSS
See WordHEADS
See WordTAILS
See WordRECEIVE
See WordDEFER
See Hint Someone who will not quit, no matter what stands in their way.
See Group DETERMINED
See WordDRIVEN
See WordDOGGED
See WordTENACIOUS
See WordINTENT
See Hint Each one describes how your hands and the ball move before a teammate catches it.
See Group _____ PASS, IN BASKETBALL
See WordBOUNCE
See WordCHEST
See WordOUTLET
See WordPOCKET
See Hint Canton called — these four surnames belong to Silver and Black legends.
See Group RAIDERS IN THE HALL OF FAME
See WordSHELL
See WordGUY
See WordBRANCH
See WordCASPER
3

Words the puzzle wants you to mis-group

Read these before you guess — they're the words most likely to break a streak. Tap for the trap.

1 SHELL Tap to see why this word traps.
You're probably picturing an egg or a nut casing — that's the bait. Here the puzzle is using it as a surname in a football context, not a natural object.
2 BRANCH Tap to see why this word traps.
You're likely reading it as a tree limb or a company division, but the puzzle is treating it as a person's last name, not anything botanical or organisational.
3 GUY Tap to see why this word traps.
You're probably reading it as a casual word for a man — that's the obvious pull. Here it's a specific surname, not a generic noun.
4 DRIVEN Tap to see why this word traps.
You might think of a fast-break play or a hard-charging basketball move, but the puzzle is using it as a personality trait, not a basketball term.
5 DEFER Tap to see why this word traps.
It sounds more formal than the other coin toss words, so you might doubt it belongs there — but deferring the choice to the second half is a real and common coin toss decision.

NYT Sports Connections answers for August 17, 2026

All four groups revealed, easiest first. Each card holds the theme, the four words, and why the group works.

Y WORDS HEARD DURING A COIN TOSS · Yellow · easiest
  • HEADS
  • TAILS
  • RECEIVE
  • DEFER

HEADS, TAILS, RECEIVE and DEFER are all words spoken during a pre-game coin toss. DEFER is the least obvious — it means the winning team chooses to push their choice to the second half rather than act immediately.

G DETERMINED · Green · easy
  • DRIVEN
  • DOGGED
  • TENACIOUS
  • INTENT

DRIVEN, DOGGED, TENACIOUS and INTENT all describe a person who is fiercely determined and persistent. DOGGED is the most vivid — it literally evokes a dog that refuses to let go.

B _____ PASS, IN BASKETBALL · Blue · medium
  • BOUNCE
  • CHEST
  • OUTLET
  • POCKET

BOUNCE, CHEST, OUTLET and POCKET all precede the word 'pass' to name a specific basketball pass type. POCKET pass is the least familiar — it's a short, quick pass delivered close to the body with minimal arm extension.

P RAIDERS IN THE HALL OF FAME · Purple · hardest
  • SHELL
  • GUY
  • BRANCH
  • CASPER

SHELL, GUY, BRANCH and CASPER are the last names of Oakland Raiders players enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Art Shell (offensive lineman), Ray Guy (punter), Cliff Branch (wide receiver) and Dave Casper (tight end). Ray Guy is notable as the first pure punter ever inducted into the Hall of Fame.

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