NYT Connections Sports Edition · #717

NYT Connections Sports Edition Hints & Answers (#717) — September 10, 2026

By Sneha Rajput·September 10, 2026

“Before you lock in any group, test each word by placing it after the word 'offensive' — four of them complete a real football term that way, and two of those will feel like they belong somewhere else entirely.Today's puzzle has FLAG and GUARD, both carrying history. FLAG appeared most recently in Connections #698 (Aug 22, 2026) as a referee accessory. GUARD appeared just four days ago in Connections #713 (Sep 6, 2026) as a synonym for defending. Neither word is playing that role today. TACKLE also has recent history — it completed a different positional phrase in Connections #692 (Aug 16, 2026).”

NYT Sports Connections hints for September 10, 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 13Brock Purdy's jersey number — a bare digit that only makes sense once you know whose back it's on.

2 49ERSThe San Francisco franchise Purdy joined as the final pick of the 2022 draft and later led to the Super Bowl.

3 CHARGERSThe NFL team that relocated from San Diego to Los Angeles in 2017.

4 FIRST-DOWN LINEThe bright yellow line digitally painted across the field on TV broadcasts to show where the offense needs to reach.

5 FLAGThe penalty flag a referee throws — and the reason it belongs here is simple: it's yellow.

6 GUARDLooks like a verb or a defensive role, but 'offensive guard' is a specific O-line position protecting the quarterback inside.

7 IOWA STATEThe college where Purdy played before the NFL Draft, becoming the Cyclones' all-time leader in passing yards.

8 LINEMANThe most generic of the four — 'offensive lineman' is the umbrella term for all five blockers up front.

9 MR. IRRELEVANTThe tongue-in-cheek title given to the last player selected in the NFL Draft — Purdy's claim to fame before he proved everyone wrong.

10 PACKERS HELMETGreen Bay's iconic gold-yellow helmet, one of the most recognisable in the NFL.

11 PASS INTERFERENCEUsually associated with referees and penalties, but offensive pass interference is a foul called on the receiving team's player.

12 RAMSThe NFL team that returned to LA in 2016 and won Super Bowl LVI in their home stadium.

13 TACKLESounds like a defensive action, but 'offensive tackle' is the blocker on the outside edge of the line — often the highest-paid position on offence.

14 UCLAThe Bruins — LA's college football programme based in Westwood.

15 UPRIGHTSThe tall yellow goalposts a kicker aims for on field goals and extra points.

16 USCThe Trojans — LA's other major college football programme, based in University Park.

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

Look around the field for anything that matches a highlighter.

See Group

YELLOW THINGS

See Word

UPRIGHTS

See Word

FLAG

See Word

FIRST-DOWN LINE

See Word

PACKERS HELMET

See Hint

These four all call the same sprawling California city home.

See Group

LA FOOTBALL TEAMS

See Word

RAMS

See Word

CHARGERS

See Word

UCLA

See Word

USC

See Hint

Everything here points to one quarterback's unlikely path to the top.

See Group

ASSOCIATED WITH BROCK PURDY

See Word

IOWA STATE

See Word

49ERS

See Word

MR. IRRELEVANT

See Word

See Hint

Put the same word in front of each of these and you have four things a coordinator draws up.

See Group

OFFENSIVE _____

See Word

GUARD

See Word

TACKLE

See Word

PASS INTERFERENCE

See Word

LINEMAN

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 FLAG Tap to see why this word traps.

You're probably reading it as a penalty flag — a referee accessory, not a colour. That defensive-official framing is the bait; the puzzle is using it purely for what it looks like, not what it does on the field.

2 GUARD Tap to see why this word traps.

You're probably reading it as a verb meaning to defend, or a generic position label — but the puzzle is using it as a specific offensive line role, not a defensive or general term.

3 TACKLE Tap to see why this word traps.

You're probably thinking of the act of bringing a player down, or a generic lineman — but the puzzle is using it as a named offensive position, not a defensive action.

4 13 Tap to see why this word traps.

You're probably staring at a bare number with no obvious hook — but in this puzzle it's a personal identifier tied to one specific player, not a stat or ranking.

NYT Sports Connections answers for September 10, 2026

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

Y YELLOW THINGS · Yellow · easiest

UPRIGHTS
FLAG
FIRST-DOWN LINE
PACKERS HELMET

UPRIGHTS, FLAG, FIRST-DOWN LINE and PACKERS HELMET are all yellow things you see on a football field or broadcast. The FIRST-DOWN LINE is the sneakiest — it only exists on TV as a digital overlay, but its iconic yellow colour makes it a perfect fit.

G LA FOOTBALL TEAMS · Green · easy

RAMS
CHARGERS
UCLA
USC

RAMS, CHARGERS, UCLA and USC are all football teams based in Los Angeles. UCLA and USC are the college programmes that share the city with the two NFL franchises, making LA one of the most football-saturated markets in the country.

B ASSOCIATED WITH BROCK PURDY · Blue · medium

IOWA STATE
49ERS
MR. IRRELEVANT
13

IOWA STATE, 49ERS, MR. IRRELEVANT and 13 are all associated with Brock Purdy. MR. IRRELEVANT is the title given to the very last pick in the NFL Draft — the label Purdy earned in 2022 before becoming San Francisco's starting quarterback and wearing number 13.

P OFFENSIVE _____ · Purple · hardest

GUARD
TACKLE
PASS INTERFERENCE
LINEMAN

GUARD, TACKLE, PASS INTERFERENCE and LINEMAN all follow the word 'offensive' to form specific football terms: offensive guard, offensive tackle, offensive pass interference and offensive lineman. PASS INTERFERENCE is the curveball — most solvers link it to penalties and referees rather than to the offensive side of the ball.

Try another puzzle

Two more NazoKai hints, ready when you are.

Connections

Today's group hints & answers

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Wordle

Today's hint ladder & answer

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