Need a nudge on Connections: Sports Edition #174? Start with the spoiler-light hints below, then reveal the reported categories and word groups only if you want the full solution. One caution: two guides published for March 16, 2025, give different answers for puzzle #174, and the available reports do not establish which set is authoritative.
How the puzzle works
Parade describes Connections: Sports Edition as a game in which players sort 16 words into four groups of four. Its guide says the game is a partnership between The New York Times and The Athletic. The NYT instruction quoted in Parade is to “group sports terms that share a common thread.” Read Parade’s March 16 guide.
Hints for Connections Sports Edition #174
Parade’s clues become more specific as you go. Try the first hint before moving down the list.
- Yellow: Think of different words for a competition.
- Green: These teams are associated with one state; the “Lone Star” clue points the way.
- Blue: These are first names of celebrated football defensive backs.
- Purple: Each answer has a music-related meaning as well as a sports-related one.
Parade’s reported categories and answers
The following is the solution set reported by Parade, not an independently confirmed official answer key.
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| Color | Category reported by Parade | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | Terms for Competitions | CUP, INVITATIONAL, SERIES, TOURNAMENT |
| Green | Texas College Teams | AGGIES, BEARS, COUGARS, LONGHORNS |
| Blue | First Names of Hall of Fame Defensive Backs | CHAMP, DEION, RONDE, TROY |
| Purple | Music Genres, but in Sports Terms | BIG DANCE, CHECKED SWING, ROCK CLIMBING, UTAH JAZZ |
Why another answer key may not match
An indexed reproduction of a Mashable guide also labels its March 16 puzzle #174, but lists entirely different groups. It reports “Stats for a QB” (ATTEMPTS, RATING, TOUCHDOWNS, YARDS); “First words of NCAA tournament rounds” (ELITE, FINAL, FIRST, SWEET); “Baseball ‘leagues’” (CACTUS, GRAPEFRUIT, INTERNATIONAL, PACIFIC COAST); and “Periodic table meets sports” (GOLD MEDAL, LEAD RUNNER, MERCURY, SILVER SLUGGER). The reproduction is available through Page Integrity.
The reports agree on the date and puzzle number but disagree on every category. The indexed Mashable reproduction is not an official NYT archive, and the available sources do not resolve the discrepancy. Treat each list as that guide’s reported answers rather than as a verified official solution.
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