NYT Connections Sports Edition · #673

NYT Connections Sports Edition Hints & Answers (#673) — July 28, 2026

By Sneha Rajput·July 28, 2026

“Group the clearest position and shot names first before checking anything that involves point values or endings.”

NYT Sports Connections hints for July 28, 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 →

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 2-RUN HRA home run that scores exactly two runs.

2 BACKHANDA shot hit with the back of the hand facing the ball.

3 CONINEEnds in the number nine.

4 DROPA soft shot that barely clears the net.

5 END ZONELooks like a football area but ends in the number one.

6 GUARDAn interior offensive line position that protects the quarterback.

7 HEAVYWEIGHTEnds in the number eight.

8 LAYUPA close-range basketball shot worth two points.

9 LINEBACKERA defensive position that backs up the line of scrimmage.

10 RUNNING BACKThe position that carries the ball on running plays.

11 SAFETYLooks like a football position but here it's a two-point score.

12 SLICEA shot with sidespin that skids low.

13 SMASHAn overhead power shot that ends the point.

14 TIGHT ENDA position that lines up at the end of the offensive line.

15 WITTENEnds in the number ten.

16 WRESTLING REVERSALA move that earns two points in wrestling.

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

Four roles that line up before the snap.

See Group

FOOTBALL POSITIONS

See Word

TIGHT END

See Word

GUARD

See Word

LINEBACKER

See Word

RUNNING BACK

See Hint

Ways to send the ball across the net.

See Group

TENNIS SHOT DESCRIPTORS

See Word

SMASH

See Word

BACKHAND

See Word

SLICE

See Word

DROP

See Hint

Plays that add exactly a pair to the total.

See Group

WORTH TWO POINTS/RUNS

See Word

SAFETY

See Word

LAYUP

See Word

WRESTLING REVERSAL

See Word

2-RUN HR

See Hint

The tail spells out a counting word.

See Group

ENDS IN A NUMBER

See Word

WITTEN

See Word

HEAVYWEIGHT

See Word

END ZONE

See Word

CONINE

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 SAFETY Tap to see why this word traps.

You're probably thinking of a defensive football position, but here the puzzle is using it as a scoring play worth two points, not a position.

2 END ZONE Tap to see why this word traps.

You're probably thinking of the football scoring area, but here the puzzle is using it as a phrase ending in a number word.

NYT Sports Connections answers for July 28, 2026

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

Y FOOTBALL POSITIONS · Yellow · easiest

TIGHT END
GUARD
LINEBACKER
RUNNING BACK

TIGHT END, GUARD, LINEBACKER and RUNNING BACK are all American football positions. The multi-word names make them stand out quickly on the grid.

G TENNIS SHOT DESCRIPTORS · Green · easy

SMASH
BACKHAND
SLICE
DROP

SMASH, BACKHAND, SLICE and DROP are all tennis shot descriptors. DROP is the quietest of the four because it feels like a general sports term until the tennis link appears.

B WORTH TWO POINTS/RUNS · Blue · medium

SAFETY
LAYUP
WRESTLING REVERSAL
2-RUN HR

SAFETY, LAYUP, WRESTLING REVERSAL and 2-RUN HR are all scoring plays worth exactly two points or runs. SAFETY is the sneakiest because it also names a football position.

P ENDS IN A NUMBER · Purple · hardest

WITTEN
HEAVYWEIGHT
END ZONE
CONINE

WITTEN, HEAVYWEIGHT, END ZONE and CONINE all end in a number word. END ZONE is the hardest to spot because the number hides inside a familiar football phrase.

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