Sports Connections answers for Friday, July 17, 2026 (#662)
By SportsMonkie Sports Desk · Puzzle #662 · Edited by Mark Cooper · Full spoilers below
Here are the answers to NYT Connections Sports Edition puzzle #662, released Friday, July 17, 2026. The four groups are FIRST-TIMERS IN 2026 WORLD CUP, NICKNAMES OF 2000S BASKETBALL STARS, ASSOCIATED WITH LUKA DONČIĆ, THINGS THAT HAVE STRINGS. 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.
The trap to avoid
Watch the "things that have strings" group: DEPTH CHART, TENNIS RACKET and LACROSSE STICK each look like they belong with a sports category, which is the misdirection. Sort the wordplay tier last, once the sports groups are locked.
Today's answers, group by group
Tier 1 · Easiest
FIRST-TIMERS IN 2026 WORLD CUP
- JORDAN
- CURAÇAO
- CAPE VERDE
- UZBEKISTAN
Why: Each of JORDAN, CURAÇAO, CAPE VERDE and UZBEKISTAN is a nation reaching a men's World Cup for the very first time — the expanded 48-team 2026 field opened the door to debutants that a casual fan would not slot next to traditional powers. Knowing the qualifiers, not wordplay, cracks this one.
Tier 2 · Easy
NICKNAMES OF 2000S BASKETBALL STARS
- AI
- STARBURY
- BIG TICKET
- T-MAC
Why: These are all player nicknames — AI is Allen Iverson, STARBURY is Stephon Marbury, BIG TICKET is Kevin Garnett and T-MAC is Tracy McGrady. If you did not follow the era they come from, none of the words look like names, which is the whole trap.
Tier 3 · Tricky
ASSOCIATED WITH LUKA DONČIĆ
- SLOVENIA
- LAKERS
- 77
- MAVERICKS
Why: Everything here ties back to LUKA DONČIĆ: SLOVENIA (his national team), LAKERS (the team he was traded to in 2025), 77 (his jersey number) and MAVERICKS (the franchise that drafted and built around him). The group rewards knowing the arc of one career rather than any single stat.
Tier 4 · Hardest
THINGS THAT HAVE STRINGS
- DEPTH CHART
- BOW
- TENNIS RACKET
- LACROSSE STICK
Why: This is the wordplay group: DEPTH CHART, BOW, TENNIS RACKET and LACROSSE STICK are joined by the pattern in the title ("things that have strings"), 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 is written to close exactly that gap — it 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 (#662)?
The four groups for Friday, July 17, 2026 are: FIRST-TIMERS IN 2026 WORLD CUP; NICKNAMES OF 2000S BASKETBALL STARS; ASSOCIATED WITH LUKA DONČIĆ; THINGS THAT HAVE STRINGS. 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. Yesterday's puzzle stays playable on The Athletic's archive.
Do I need to know US sports to solve it?
Often, yes — Sports Edition leans on US leagues (NBA, WNBA, NFL, NCAA), which is why we spell out the connection for each group. If you follow football, cricket or F1 instead, the "why" notes above are written to fill the gap.
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.
Today's grid leaned on these sports — go deeper on SportsMonkie:
SportsMonkie is an independent site and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to The New York Times or The Athletic. "NYT Connections Sports Edition" is referenced only to describe the puzzle these hints cover; all trademarks belong to their owners. Play the official puzzle on The Athletic.