Sports Connections Hints: May 26, 2025

This page shows spoiler‑layered hints for the NYT Sports Connections puzzle published on May 26, 2025 (2025-05-26). Step through the hints in order and only reveal the full board when you're ready.

Meta: Sports puzzle #436

Puzzle #436 · 2025-05-26 · sports

Step through today’s Connections hints

Start with broad themes, then reveal more detail about the groups and tiles only when you need it. The final button shows today's full group breakdown.

Puzzle reference: Connections #436 for 2025-05-26, edition sports, with a standard four-group board. Spoiler categories and tiles stay collapsed until you open the hint layers below.

Hint 1 – overall theme

There are 4 groups in today’s puzzle.

Themes include: AQUATIC SPORTS, AL CENTRAL TEAMS, IVY LEAGUE TEAM NICKNAMES and 1 more.

Hint 2 – group titles

Here are the category names for each group. Try matching the tiles in the official game to these themes before you reveal any tiles.

AQUATIC SPORTS
AL CENTRAL TEAMS
IVY LEAGUE TEAM NICKNAMES
SHORTENED NAMES FOR SPORTS

Hint 3 – group tiles

Reveal the tiles for each group. If you only want a partial nudge, stop after reading one or two groups and go back to the official puzzle.

AQUATIC SPORTS

SWIMMING

DIVING

WATER POLO

SURFING

AL CENTRAL TEAMS

TWINS

ROYALS

GUARDIANS

WHITE SOX

IVY LEAGUE TEAM NICKNAMES

BIG RED

TIGERS

CRIMSON

QUAKERS

SHORTENED NAMES FOR SPORTS

LAX

HOOPS

FOOTY

Reveal full answer

This is the full breakdown of today's Connections puzzle: group titles and all tiles, grouped together.