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Today’s Connections: Sports Edition is a tough one. If you’re struggling with today’s puzzle but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.
Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by The Times. It doesn’t appear in the NYT Games app, but it does in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it for free online.
Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta
Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups
Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.
Yellow group hint: Do you lift?
Green group hint: Leader of the team.
Blue group hint: We’re doomed!
Purple group hint: Major conference teams.
Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups
Yellow group: In good shape.
Green group: Current NFL coaches.
Blue group: Famous sports “curses.”
Purple group: Starts of Big Ten team names.
Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words
What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?
The completed NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for May 3, 2026.
The yellow words in today’s Connections
The theme is in good shape. The four answers are agile, athletic, fit and strong.
The green words in today’s Connections
The theme is current NFL head coaches. The four answers are Coen, Glenn, Reid and Ryans.
The blue words in today’s Connections
The theme is famous sports “curses.” The four answers are Bambino, Billy Goat, Madden and SI cover.
The purple words in today’s Connections
The theme is starts of Big Ten team names. The four answers are boil, buck, corn and hawk.