Looking for today's NYT Connections Sports Edition hints and answers? Puzzle #595 for Sunday, May 11, 2026 is live, and we've got progressive spoiler-free hints plus the complete solution for all four categories.
Today's Sports Edition puzzle is rated Medium difficulty. The Purple category uses a classic "blank + word" pattern, while the Green category tests your college sports knowledge. Let's dive in!
What Is NYT Connections Sports Edition?
NYT Connections Sports Edition is a sports-themed variant of the popular New York Times Connections word game. Like the original, you're given 16 words and must sort them into 4 groups of 4, each sharing a hidden connection. The twist? All categories are sports-related — from athlete names and team nicknames to fitness terminology and sports phrases.
The categories are color-coded by difficulty:
- 🟨 Yellow — Easiest
- 🟩 Green — Moderate
- 🟦 Blue — Tricky
- 🟪 Purple — Hardest
Today's 16 Words (May 11, 2026)
Here are all 16 words on today's Connections Sports Edition board:
AB, BIG GREEN, CRIMSON, FALSE, KICK, KUMINGA, LIONS, PEC, QUAD, QUAKERS, QUALITY, QUICK, SPOT, TAYLOR, TRAP, VILMA
NYT Connections Sports Edition Hints Today — May 11, 2026
Try these progressive hints before scrolling to the full answers!
🟨 Yellow Category Hint (Easiest)
Theme hint: Think about the gym. These are all names for muscles, but shortened — the way a fitness trainer might call them out during a workout.
One word reveal: QUAD is in this group.
🟩 Green Category Hint (Moderate)
Theme hint: "Pahk the cah in Hahvahd Yahd" — that Boston accent is a clue! Think prestigious East Coast universities and what their sports teams are called.
One word reveal: CRIMSON is in this group (think Harvard).
🟦 Blue Category Hint (Tricky)
Theme hint: These are all people who share the same first name. Think of famous athletes — what first name connects a Golden State Warriors forward, an NFL linebacker, and others?
One word reveal: KUMINGA is in this group (Jonathan Kuminga of the Warriors).
🟪 Purple Category Hint (Hardest)
Theme hint: Each word can be followed by the same second word to form a common two-word phrase. Think: "On your mark, get set..." What word comes next?
One word reveal: FALSE is in this group (false _____).
NYT Connections Sports Edition Answers Today — May 11, 2026 (#595)
⚠️ Spoiler alert! Full answers for today's NYT Connections Sports Edition below.
🟨 Yellow — Muscles, Informally
AB, PEC, QUAD, TRAP
These are all informal abbreviations for muscles used in gym/fitness culture:
- AB — Abdominal muscles
- PEC — Pectoral muscles (chest)
- QUAD — Quadriceps (front of thigh)
- TRAP — Trapezius muscles (upper back/neck)
🟩 Green — Ivy League Team Nicknames
BIG GREEN, CRIMSON, LIONS, QUAKERS
These are all official team nicknames for Ivy League universities:
- BIG GREEN — Dartmouth College
- CRIMSON — Harvard University
- LIONS — Columbia University
- QUAKERS — University of Pennsylvania (UPenn)
🟦 Blue — Jonathans (Athletes Named Jonathan)
KUMINGA, QUICK, TAYLOR, VILMA
All four are famous athletes whose first name is Jonathan:
- Jonathan KUMINGA — NBA forward (Golden State Warriors)
- Jonathan QUICK — NHL goaltender (Stanley Cup champion)
- Jonathan TAYLOR — NFL running back (Indianapolis Colts)
- Jonathan VILMA — Former NFL linebacker (New York Jets, New Orleans Saints)
🟪 Purple — ____ Start
FALSE, KICK, QUALITY, SPOT
Each word can precede "START" to form a common phrase:
- FALSE START — A penalty in football/track for moving before the signal
- KICK START — To begin something forcefully (also a motorcycle term)
- QUALITY START — A baseball pitching stat (6+ innings, 3 or fewer earned runs)
- SPOT START — When a non-regular starter fills in (common in baseball)
Strategy Tips for Today's Puzzle
- Start with Yellow: If you've ever been to a gym, the muscle abbreviations should jump out immediately. AB, PEC, QUAD, and TRAP are common fitness lingo.
- Don't confuse LIONS: LIONS could seem like an NFL team, but here it's Columbia's Ivy League nickname. Remember — this puzzle is about Ivy League specifically.
- TRAP is the biggest trap: The word TRAP appears in Yellow (trapezius muscle) but could fool you into thinking it goes with Purple (trap start? — not a thing). Solve Yellow first to clear it off the board.
- Purple's pattern: If you see words that each form a two-word phrase with the same second word, that's a classic Purple category. Test each word: does "FALSE ___," "KICK ___," "QUALITY ___," "SPOT ___" all work with the same word? Yes — START!
- Blue requires sports knowledge: If you don't recognize Jonathan Kuminga or Jonathan Vilma, this category is tough. Use process of elimination after solving the other three.
How Hard Was Today's Sports Edition?
We'd rate today's puzzle 3 out of 5 in difficulty. Yellow is a gimme for gym-goers. Green tests your Ivy League knowledge (trickier than it sounds — how many people know Dartmouth is "Big Green"?). Blue depends entirely on your sports trivia depth. Purple's "___ Start" pattern is satisfying once you see it.
Pro tip: When you see words that seem like they could be different parts of speech (TRAP as a noun/verb, QUICK as an adjective/name), that's usually a sign they're being used as proper nouns — i.e., athlete last names. Look for the Blue "same first name" pattern.
What Time Does NYT Connections Sports Edition Reset?
A new NYT Connections Sports Edition puzzle is released every day. We update our hints and answers as soon as the new puzzle goes live. Bookmark this page and check back tomorrow for puzzle #596!
Play More Sports Connections
Love sports word puzzles? Play unlimited sports-themed Connections puzzles right here on ConnectionsSports.com! We offer free daily puzzles across NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, Soccer, Tennis, Golf, and Olympics — plus a full archive and the ability to create your own custom puzzles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are today's NYT Connections Sports Edition answers for May 11, 2026?
Today's Sports Edition #595 answers are: 🟨 Muscles Informally (AB, PEC, QUAD, TRAP), 🟩 Ivy League Team Nicknames (BIG GREEN, CRIMSON, LIONS, QUAKERS), 🟦 Jonathans (KUMINGA, QUICK, TAYLOR, VILMA), 🟪 ___ Start (FALSE, KICK, QUALITY, SPOT).
Is today's NYT Connections Sports Edition hard?
Today's puzzle is medium difficulty (3/5). Yellow is easy if you know gym lingo. Green requires Ivy League knowledge. Blue tests your sports trivia with athletes named Jonathan. Purple uses a classic "___ + word" pattern.
What is the ___ Start category in today's Connections Sports Edition?
The Purple category "___ Start" contains FALSE, KICK, QUALITY, and SPOT. Each word precedes "start" to form a common phrase: false start (football/track penalty), kick start, quality start (baseball stat), and spot start (baseball).
Who are the Jonathans in today's Connections Sports Edition?
The Blue category features athletes named Jonathan: Jonathan Kuminga (NBA, Warriors), Jonathan Quick (NHL goaltender), Jonathan Taylor (NFL, Colts), and Jonathan Vilma (former NFL linebacker).
What is a Quality Start in baseball?
A Quality Start is a baseball pitching statistic where a starting pitcher completes at least 6 innings while allowing 3 or fewer earned runs. It was one of today's Purple category answers in the "___ Start" group.
