Sports Connections Hints: Aug 31, 2025

This page shows spoiler‑layered hints for the NYT Sports Connections puzzle published on Aug 31, 2025 (2025-08-31). Step through the hints in order and only reveal the full board when you're ready.

Meta: Sports puzzle #540

Puzzle #540 · 2025-08-31 · 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 #540 for 2025-08-31, 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: MATERIALS FOUND ON A BASEBALL FIELD, PHILADELPHIA TEAMS, WORDS THAT PRECEDE "DRAFT" 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.

  • MATERIALS FOUND ON A BASEBALL FIELD
  • PHILADELPHIA TEAMS
  • WORDS THAT PRECEDE "DRAFT"
  • STARTS OF SEC TEAM NAMES

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.

MATERIALS FOUND ON A BASEBALL FIELD

DIRT
GRASS
CHALK
RUBBER

PHILADELPHIA TEAMS

FLYERS
TEMPLE
EAGLES
UNION

WORDS THAT PRECEDE "DRAFT"

NFL
MOCK
FANTASY
SNAKE

STARTS OF SEC TEAM NAMES

SOON
BULL
GATO
WILD

Reveal full answer

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

MATERIALS FOUND ON A BASEBALL FIELD

DIRT
GRASS
CHALK
RUBBER

PHILADELPHIA TEAMS

FLYERS
TEMPLE
EAGLES
UNION

WORDS THAT PRECEDE "DRAFT"

NFL
MOCK
FANTASY
SNAKE

STARTS OF SEC TEAM NAMES

SOON
BULL
GATO
WILD

Looking for today's sports puzzle instead? Head back to the Today's Sports Connections hints page, or open the sports archive for another date.

Move between Sports Connections dates

Return to today, browse the sports archive, or step one puzzle backward or forward when a nearby board is available.