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NYT Connections Sports Edition · #669

NYT Connections Sports Edition Hints & Answers (#669) — July 24, 2026

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“Group words that share a simple everyday action meaning before sorting any school or team names.”

NYT Sports Connections hints for July 24, 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 APPALACHIAN STATEThe full name of one mountain-area school in the group.
2 BANDITSThe outlaw-style name on this team list.
3 BLAZELooks like fire or a trail mark, but here it's a team name.
4 BOUNDLooks like tied up or heading somewhere, but here it means to leap.
5 CASCADEThe waterfall-style name on this team list.
6 DUKEA well-known name that also belongs to this state list.
7 GRIZZLIESThe NBA team added in 1995.
8 HIGH POINTThe least flashy name on this state list.
9 HOPA short quick jump with both feet.
10 JAGUARSThe NFL team added in 1995.
11 LEAPThe plain-vanilla member of the group; no twist here.
12 ROCKIESLooks like a mountain range, but here it's the MLB team added in 1993.
13 SHARKSThe NHL team added in 1991.
14 SPRINGLooks like the season or a coil, but here it means to jump.
15 TALONSThe bird-claw name on this team list.
16 WAKE FORESTAnother prominent athletic name that fits the state grouping.
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 Verbs that all describe leaving the ground quickly.
See Group JUMP
See WordBOUND
See WordLEAP
See WordSPRING
See WordHOP
See Hint A single state's map contains all four.
See Group SCHOOLS IN NORTH CAROLINA
See WordAPPALACHIAN STATE
See WordDUKE
See WordWAKE FOREST
See WordHIGH POINT
See Hint Leagues welcomed these four after the eighties.
See Group 1990S EXPANSION TEAMS
See WordROCKIES
See WordSHARKS
See WordGRIZZLIES
See WordJAGUARS
See Hint One softball league fields all these squads.
See Group ATHLETES UNLIMITED SOFTBALL LEAGUE TEAMS
See WordBLAZE
See WordCASCADE
See WordTALONS
See WordBANDITS
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 SPRING Tap to see why this word traps.
You're probably thinking of the season after winter or a metal coil, but the puzzle uses it as a verb for sudden movement.
2 BOUND Tap to see why this word traps.
You're probably thinking of being tied up or heading in a direction, but here it means to leap.
3 ROCKIES Tap to see why this word traps.
You're probably picturing a mountain range, but the puzzle treats it as a sports franchise name.
4 BLAZE Tap to see why this word traps.
You're probably thinking of a fire or a trail mark, but here it's a team name in a specific league.

NYT Sports Connections answers for July 24, 2026

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

Y JUMP · Yellow · easiest
  • BOUND
  • LEAP
  • SPRING
  • HOP

BOUND, LEAP, SPRING and HOP all mean to jump. SPRING is the sneakiest because it also names a season or coil.

G SCHOOLS IN NORTH CAROLINA · Green · easy
  • APPALACHIAN STATE
  • DUKE
  • WAKE FOREST
  • HIGH POINT

APPALACHIAN STATE, DUKE, WAKE FOREST and HIGH POINT are all North Carolina schools. DUKE and WAKE FOREST are the most familiar athletic names but still fit the state list.

B 1990S EXPANSION TEAMS · Blue · medium
  • ROCKIES
  • SHARKS
  • GRIZZLIES
  • JAGUARS

ROCKIES, SHARKS, GRIZZLIES and JAGUARS are all 1990s expansion teams. ROCKIES is the sneakiest because most solvers first picture the mountains.

P ATHLETES UNLIMITED SOFTBALL LEAGUE TEAMS · Purple · hardest
  • BLAZE
  • CASCADE
  • TALONS
  • BANDITS

BLAZE, CASCADE, TALONS and BANDITS are all Athletes Unlimited Softball League teams. BLAZE is the sneakiest because most solvers first picture fire or a trail mark.

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