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NYT Connections Sports Edition · #675

NYT Connections Sports Edition Hints & Answers (#675) — July 30, 2026

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Earlier Jul 29 This puzzle Jul 30 Later Jul 31

“Start with the most familiar team-related terms before moving to brand names or single-letter abbreviations.Today's puzzle has GUARD, which also appeared in Connections #673 (Jul 28, 2026). It was part of football positions.”

NYT Sports Connections hints for July 30, 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 BADGEA patch or insignia worn to show team identity.
2 BAUERA major brand for hockey sticks and skates.
3 CCMLongtime maker of hockey gear and sticks.
4 CLIPSShort for the Los Angeles Clippers.
5 CRESTLooks like a coat of arms, but here it's a team symbol.
6 EMBLEMThe plain-vanilla member of the group; no twist here.
7 GAMESThe G in stats for total games played.
8 GATORADEThe G in the sports drink's own name.
9 GOALTENDERThe G in hockey for the player in net.
10 GRIZZShort for the Memphis Grizzlies.
11 GUARDThe G in basketball for a backcourt player.
12 LOGOThe graphic mark every team uses on its gear.
13 MAVSShort for the Dallas Mavericks.
14 SHER-WOODClassic Canadian brand of hockey sticks.
15 WARRIORLooks like an NBA team name, but here it's a stick brand.
16 WOLVESShort for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
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 Markings that represent a franchise on uniforms.
See Group A TEAM'S SYMBOL
See WordLOGO
See WordBADGE
See WordCREST
See WordEMBLEM
See Hint Short names for basketball franchises from certain cities.
See Group NBA TEAMS, INFORMALLY
See WordGRIZZ
See WordCLIPS
See WordWOLVES
See WordMAVS
See Hint Companies known for making equipment used on the ice.
See Group HOCKEY STICK MANUFACTURERS
See WordBAUER
See WordCCM
See WordSHER-WOOD
See WordWARRIOR
See Hint Sports roles or items that start with this letter.
See Group WHAT "G" MIGHT MEAN
See WordGUARD
See WordGAMES
See WordGOALTENDER
See WordGATORADE
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 WARRIOR Tap to see why this word traps.
You're probably thinking of the NBA team, but here the puzzle uses it as a brand name instead.
2 GUARD Tap to see why this word traps.
You're probably picturing a basketball position, but here it's standing for something else entirely.
3 GATORADE Tap to see why this word traps.
You're probably reading it as the sports drink, but here the puzzle is using the letter in its name.

NYT Sports Connections answers for July 30, 2026

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

Y A TEAM'S SYMBOL · Yellow · easiest
  • LOGO
  • BADGE
  • CREST
  • EMBLEM

LOGO, BADGE, CREST and EMBLEM are all symbols used by teams. CREST is the sneakiest because it often evokes old-school heraldry rather than modern sports branding.

G NBA TEAMS, INFORMALLY · Green · easy
  • GRIZZ
  • CLIPS
  • WOLVES
  • MAVS

GRIZZ, CLIPS, WOLVES and MAVS are all informal names for NBA teams. GRIZZ is the most obvious because it directly shortens the Memphis team name.

B HOCKEY STICK MANUFACTURERS · Blue · medium
  • BAUER
  • CCM
  • SHER-WOOD
  • WARRIOR

BAUER, CCM, SHER-WOOD and WARRIOR are all hockey stick brands. WARRIOR is the trap here because it also names an NBA team, pulling attention away from equipment.

P WHAT "G" MIGHT MEAN · Purple · hardest
  • GUARD
  • GAMES
  • GOALTENDER
  • GATORADE

GUARD, GAMES, GOALTENDER and GATORADE are all things the letter G can stand for in sports. GOALTENDER is the most deceptive because it reads first as a full position name rather than its abbreviation.

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