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NYT Connections Sports Edition · #709

NYT Connections Sports Edition Hints & Answers (#709) — September 2, 2026

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“When a word feels like it belongs to two groups, test it with both — the one that completes a clean, specific phrase is almost always the right home.Today's puzzle has BASKET, RICE and SQUEEZE, all carrying history. BASKET appeared in Connections #688 (Aug 12, 2026) as part of phrases before "catch". RICE appeared in Connections #659 (Jul 14, 2026) among 2026 MLB All-Stars. SQUEEZE appeared in Connections #657 (Jul 12, 2026) as part of baseball tactics.”

NYT Sports Connections hints for September 2, 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 3-POINTAdd PLAY and you get the basketball sequence of a made shot plus a free throw.
2 ALONSOFernando Alonso, the Spanish F1 champion — the only non-baseball Fernando in the group.
3 BASEAdd BALL and you get America's pastime.
4 BASKETAdd BALL and you get the sport of hoops and hardwood.
5 BAYLORA Baptist university in Waco, Texas, home of the Bears.
6 DOUBLELooks like a baseball hit; add PLAY and it becomes the fielding gem that retires two runners at once.
7 HOUSTONEasy to read as the city or a famous name — here it's the University of Houston.
8 MENDOZAFernando Mendoza, MLB pitcher — not Mario Mendoza of the famous batting-average line.
9 RACQUETLooks like a piece of equipment; add BALL and it becomes a sport played in an enclosed court.
10 RICEA private research university in Houston, not the grain or the athlete.
11 SMUSouthern Methodist University, based in Dallas.
12 SQUEEZELooks like a standalone bunt term; add PLAY and it names the full strategic sequence of scoring a runner from third.
13 TATISFernando Tatis Jr., the Padres star known for his flair at the plate and in the field.
14 TRICKAdd PLAY and you get a deceptive call — a flea-flicker, a fake punt, anything designed to fool the defense.
15 VALENZUELAFernando Valenzuela, the Dodgers legend who sparked Fernandomania in the 1980s.
16 VOLLEYAdd BALL and you get the net sport played on sand or hardwood.
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 Each word gains a sport when you add the same four letters.
See Group _____BALL SPORTS
See WordBASE
See WordBASKET
See WordVOLLEY
See WordRACQUET
See Hint All four campuses sit in the Lone Star State.
See Group TEXAS SCHOOLS
See WordHOUSTON
See WordRICE
See WordBAYLOR
See WordSMU
See Hint One first name connects four athletes across different sports.
See Group FERNANDOS
See WordVALENZUELA
See WordTATIS
See WordALONSO
See WordMENDOZA
See Hint Each word sets up a strategic moment in a game.
See Group _____ PLAY
See Word3-POINT
See WordTRICK
See WordDOUBLE
See WordSQUEEZE
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 RACQUET Tap to see why this word traps.
You're probably picturing a piece of tennis equipment — that's the bait. The puzzle is using it as the root of a sport name, not as gear.
2 HOUSTON Tap to see why this word traps.
You're probably thinking of the city, the Rockets, or Whitney Houston — but the puzzle is using it as an academic institution, not a place or a person.
3 SQUEEZE Tap to see why this word traps.
You're probably reading it as a standalone baseball term — that's the obvious first read. But the puzzle is using it as a compound sports phrase, not a standalone tactic.
4 DOUBLE Tap to see why this word traps.
You're probably thinking of a two-base hit in baseball — a reasonable first read. The puzzle is using it as a compound sports term, not a type of hit.

NYT Sports Connections answers for September 2, 2026

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

Y _____BALL SPORTS · Yellow · easiest
  • BASE
  • BASKET
  • VOLLEY
  • RACQUET

BASE, BASKET, VOLLEY and RACQUET all precede BALL to name a sport: baseball, basketball, volleyball and racquetball. RACQUET is the sneakiest — most solvers think of the equipment rather than the sport it names when combined with BALL.

G TEXAS SCHOOLS · Green · easy
  • HOUSTON
  • RICE
  • BAYLOR
  • SMU

HOUSTON, RICE, BAYLOR and SMU are all universities located in Texas. SMU (Southern Methodist University) is in Dallas, Baylor is in Waco, Rice is in Houston, and the University of Houston rounds out the quartet.

B FERNANDOS · Blue · medium
  • VALENZUELA
  • TATIS
  • ALONSO
  • MENDOZA

VALENZUELA, TATIS, ALONSO and MENDOZA are all last names of famous athletes named Fernando. Fernando Valenzuela was the beloved Dodgers pitcher, Fernando Tatis Jr. is the Padres star, Fernando Alonso is the two-time F1 champion, and Fernando Mendoza is a current MLB pitcher.

P _____ PLAY · Purple · hardest
  • 3-POINT
  • TRICK
  • DOUBLE
  • SQUEEZE

3-POINT, TRICK, DOUBLE and SQUEEZE all precede PLAY to make a specific sports term: 3-point play, trick play, double play and squeeze play. DOUBLE is the trickiest — a double in baseball is a hit, but double play is its own distinct fielding term.

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