Today's Sports Connections answers
By SportsMonkie Sports Desk · Puzzle #708 · Edited by Mark Cooper · Full spoilers below
This page always carries the current NYT Connections Sports Edition puzzle — #708, Tuesday, September 1, 2026. The four groups are COACH, NFL MASCOTS, ASSOCIATED WITH MATT RYAN, _____-TO-_____. The full sixteen words, sorted into their groups with a short explanation of why each one belongs, are right below. Want to solve it yourself first? Use the progressive hints instead.
Today's answers, group by group
Tier 1 · Easiest
COACH
- SCHOOL
- DRILL
- INSTRUCT
- TEACH
Why: All four — SCHOOL, DRILL, INSTRUCT and TEACH — share one link: coach. The group is knowledge-gated: you either recognise the theme on sight or you don't, so use the hints above rather than trying to reason it out from the words alone.
Tier 2 · Easy
NFL MASCOTS
- BLUE
- SWOOP
- SOURDOUGH SAM
- JAXSON DE VILLE
Why: All four — BLUE, SWOOP, SOURDOUGH SAM and JAXSON DE VILLE — share one link: nfl mascots. The group is knowledge-gated: you either recognise the theme on sight or you don't, so use the hints above rather than trying to reason it out from the words alone.
Tier 3 · Tricky
ASSOCIATED WITH MATT RYAN
- 2
- MATTY ICE
- BC
- FALCONS
Why: Everything here ties back to MATT RYAN: 2, MATTY ICE, BC and FALCONS. The group rewards knowing the arc of one career rather than any single stat.
Tier 4 · Hardest
_____-TO-_____
- BACK
- DAY
- TOE
- MAN
Why: This is the wordplay group: BACK, DAY, TOE and MAN are joined by the pattern in the title ("_____-to-_____"), not by any shared sport. It is the classic trap tier — several of these words look like they belong with a sports category above, which is exactly what the puzzle wants you to try first.
If you don't follow US sports
Sports Edition skews American, so a group can be obvious to a US fan and invisible to everyone else. The "why" line under each group names the league, the city or the player so the connection makes sense even if you have never watched the sport.
FAQ
What are today's Sports Connections answers (#708)?
The four groups for Tuesday, September 1, 2026 are: COACH; NFL MASCOTS; ASSOCIATED WITH MATT RYAN; _____-TO-_____. The full sixteen words and the reason each group fits are laid out above.
What time does the Sports Connections puzzle reset?
A new puzzle unlocks at midnight in your local time, so players in earlier time zones get the next day's grid first. This page updates to the new puzzle as soon as it is live.
How many mistakes can I make?
Four. Every wrong group of four counts as one mistake, and the fourth mistake ends the game and reveals the solution. There is no time limit.
Previous days' answers
Missed the last few puzzles? Here are the full answers for the previous days, newest first.
Sports Connections #707 — Monday, August 31, 2026
Tier 1 · Easiest
INEXPERIENCED
- GREEN
- NEW
- RAW
- YOUNG
Why: All four — GREEN, NEW, RAW and YOUNG — share one link: inexperienced. The group is knowledge-gated: you either recognise the theme on sight or you don't, so use the hints above rather than trying to reason it out from the words alone.
Tier 2 · Easy
NBA HEAD COACHES
- FINCH
- KERR
- BICKERSTAFF
- REDICK
Why: All four — FINCH, KERR, BICKERSTAFF and REDICK — share one link: nba head coaches. The group is knowledge-gated: you either recognise the theme on sight or you don't, so use the hints above rather than trying to reason it out from the words alone.
Tier 3 · Tricky
CAN COME AFTER "HOT"
- CORNER
- SEAT
- STOVE
- HAND
Why: All four — CORNER, SEAT, STOVE and HAND — share one link: can come after "hot". The group is knowledge-gated: you either recognise the theme on sight or you don't, so use the hints above rather than trying to reason it out from the words alone.
Tier 4 · Hardest
_____ THOMPSON
- AMEN
- TAGE
- KLAY
- ALYSSA
Why: This is the wordplay group: AMEN, TAGE, KLAY and ALYSSA are joined by the pattern in the title ("_____ thompson"), not by any shared sport. It is the classic trap tier — several of these words look like they belong with a sports category above, which is exactly what the puzzle wants you to try first.
Sports Connections #706 — Sunday, August 30, 2026
Tier 1 · Easiest
AGILE
- ATHLETIC
- SPRIGHTLY
- LITHE
- LIMBER
Why: All four — ATHLETIC, SPRIGHTLY, LITHE and LIMBER — share one link: agile. The group is knowledge-gated: you either recognise the theme on sight or you don't, so use the hints above rather than trying to reason it out from the words alone.
Tier 2 · Easy
FOOTBALL DEFENSIVE TERMS
- NICKEL
- PREVENT
- COVER 2
- 4-3
Why: All four — NICKEL, PREVENT, COVER 2 and 4-3 — share one link: football defensive terms. The group is knowledge-gated: you either recognise the theme on sight or you don't, so use the hints above rather than trying to reason it out from the words alone.
Tier 3 · Tricky
LIGUE 1 CLUBS
- NICE
- LENS
- ANGERS
- LILLE
Why: All four — NICE, LENS, ANGERS and LILLE — share one link: ligue 1 clubs. The group is knowledge-gated: you either recognise the theme on sight or you don't, so use the hints above rather than trying to reason it out from the words alone.
Tier 4 · Hardest
SAN ANTONIO SPURS
- CHAMPAGNIE
- CASTLE
- WEMBANYAMA
- VASSELL
Why: All four — CHAMPAGNIE, CASTLE, WEMBANYAMA and VASSELL — share one link: san antonio spurs. The group is knowledge-gated: you either recognise the theme on sight or you don't, so use the hints above rather than trying to reason it out from the words alone.
Sports Connections #705 — Saturday, August 29, 2026
Tier 1 · Easiest
BOXING TERMS
- HOOK
- JAB
- UPPERCUT
- CROSS
Why: All four — HOOK, JAB, UPPERCUT and CROSS — share one link: boxing terms. The group is knowledge-gated: you either recognise the theme on sight or you don't, so use the hints above rather than trying to reason it out from the words alone.
Tier 2 · Easy
NICKNAMES OF HALL OF FAME CENTERS, WITH "THE"
- DREAM
- ADMIRAL
- BIG ARISTOTLE
- BIG DIPPER
Why: These four are all sporting nicknames rather than given names, so the group hinges on recognising the player behind each tag: DREAM, ADMIRAL, BIG ARISTOTLE and BIG DIPPER.
Tier 3 · Tricky
WHITE SOX IN THE HALL OF FAME
- FISK
- FOX
- THOMAS
- MIÑOSO
Why: All four — FISK, FOX, THOMAS and MIÑOSO — share one link: white sox in the hall of fame. The group is knowledge-gated: you either recognise the theme on sight or you don't, so use the hints above rather than trying to reason it out from the words alone.
Tier 4 · Hardest
AMERICAN _____
- FOOTBALL
- PHAROAH
- LEAGUE
- NINJA WARRIOR
Why: This is the wordplay group: FOOTBALL, PHAROAH, LEAGUE and NINJA WARRIOR are joined by the pattern in the title ("american _____"), not by any shared sport. It is the classic trap tier — several of these words look like they belong with a sports category above, which is exactly what the puzzle wants you to try first.
Today's grid leaned on these sports — go deeper on SportsMonkie:
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