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NYT Connections Sports Edition · #659

NYT Connections Sports Edition Hints & Answers (#659) — July 14, 2026

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“Lock in the leg injuries first — that group is clean and fast, and it frees up the board so the trickier words become easier to read.”

NYT Sports Connections hints for July 14, 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 ACHILLESThe tendon at the back of the ankle — a rupture here can end a season instantly.
2 ACLAnterior cruciate ligament — the knee injury that every athlete fears most.
3 BURNSFeels like it belongs with injuries, but BURNS is a 2026 MLB All-Star's surname, not a wound.
4 DEMONTempting to pair with DEVILS, but this is the first word of Wake Forest's Demon Deacons.
5 DEVILSNew Jersey's NHL franchise, based at Prudential Center in Newark.
6 GOLDENAnother color word hiding as the start of an ACC team name — Cal's Golden Bears joined the conference in 2024.
7 GOTHAMGotham FC — the NWSL club playing in Harrison, NJ, not Gotham City.
8 HAMSTRINGThe muscle group at the back of the thigh — pulls and tears are a sprinter's nightmare.
9 MARSHReads like a wetland or a surname from another sport — it's a 2026 baseball All-Star.
10 MENISCUSThe cartilage cushion in the knee, often torn alongside or instead of the ACL.
11 PAGESA 2026 MLB All-Star — no surface trick here beyond the plural making it feel like a book term.
12 RED BULLSNew York Red Bulls in name, but their stadium is in Harrison, New Jersey.
13 RICELooks like a food or a nod to Jerry Rice, but here it's a 2026 MLB All-Star's last name.
14 SCARLET KNIGHTSRutgers University's athletic teams, based in Piscataway, NJ.
15 TARA sticky black substance with no obvious sports link — until you add 'Heels' for UNC.
16 YELLOWReads as a plain color — add 'Jackets' and you have Georgia Tech's ACC nickname.
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 Athletes dread hearing these words from the team doctor.
See Group COMMON LEG INJURIES IN SPORTS
See WordACHILLES
See WordACL
See WordMENISCUS
See WordHAMSTRING
See Hint These franchises all call the Garden State home.
See Group TEAMS THAT PLAY IN NEW JERSEY
See WordDEVILS
See WordGOTHAM
See WordRED BULLS
See WordSCARLET KNIGHTS
See Hint These surnames belong to players picked for baseball's midsummer showcase.
See Group 2026 MLB ALL-STARS
See WordRICE
See WordMARSH
See WordPAGES
See WordBURNS
See Hint Finish each word and you'll land on a college mascot.
See Group FIRST WORDS OF ACC TEAM NAMES
See WordYELLOW
See WordDEMON
See WordTAR
See WordGOLDEN
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 BURNS Tap to see why this word traps.
You're probably reading it as a physical injury — turf burns, rug burns — which makes it feel at home with the leg injuries group, but here it's a player's surname.
2 YELLOW Tap to see why this word traps.
You're almost certainly reading it as a color, not a team name fragment — but the puzzle is using it as the first word of a college athletic nickname.
3 DEMON Tap to see why this word traps.
You're probably pairing it mentally with DEVILS since both carry that dark-mascot energy, but they belong to completely different groups.
4 RICE Tap to see why this word traps.
You're likely thinking of the food or a famous football player — but here it's a current baseball player's last name.

NYT Sports Connections answers for July 14, 2026

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

Y COMMON LEG INJURIES IN SPORTS · Yellow · easiest
  • ACHILLES
  • ACL
  • MENISCUS
  • HAMSTRING

ACHILLES, ACL, MENISCUS and HAMSTRING are all common leg injuries in sports. The ACL and meniscus are both knee structures, while the Achilles tendon and hamstring sit above and behind — four of the most career-disrupting words in any locker room.

G TEAMS THAT PLAY IN NEW JERSEY · Green · easy
  • DEVILS
  • GOTHAM
  • RED BULLS
  • SCARLET KNIGHTS

DEVILS, GOTHAM, RED BULLS and SCARLET KNIGHTS all represent teams based in New Jersey. The Devils play NHL hockey in Newark, the Red Bulls play MLS soccer in Harrison, Gotham FC plays NWSL soccer also in Harrison, and the Scarlet Knights are Rutgers University's teams.

B 2026 MLB ALL-STARS · Blue · medium
  • RICE
  • MARSH
  • PAGES
  • BURNS

RICE, MARSH, PAGES and BURNS are all surnames of 2026 MLB All-Stars. Current sports knowledge is the only way in here — the names carry no shared surface theme to guide you.

P FIRST WORDS OF ACC TEAM NAMES · Purple · hardest
  • YELLOW
  • DEMON
  • TAR
  • GOLDEN

YELLOW, DEMON, TAR and GOLDEN are the opening words of four ACC college team names: Yellow Jackets (Georgia Tech), Demon Deacons (Wake Forest), Tar Heels (UNC) and Golden Bears (Cal, which joined the ACC in 2024). TAR is the sneakiest — nothing about the word signals college sports until you attach 'Heels' to it.

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