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NYT Connections Sports Puzzle #663 — Answers & Solution
Saturday, July 18, 2026 · Difficulty: ⭐⭐⭐ Medium
🏆 NYT Connections Sports Puzzle #663 — Complete Answers
- 🟨 Yellow – Sports Documentaries: FREE SOLO, HOOP DREAMS, ICARUS, SENNA
- 🟩 Green – Hockey Penalties: FIGHTING, HIGH-STICKING, INTERFERENCE, TRIPPING
- 🟦 Blue – Combat Sports Venues: CAGE, MAT, OCTAGON, RING
- 🟪 Purple – Words Containing Golf Clubs: GRIDIRON, HARDWOOD, RED RIVER, SPUTTER
📋 All 16 Words — Puzzle #663
✅ Full Answers — Puzzle #663
🟨 Yellow — Sports Documentaries
🟩 Green — Hockey Penalties
🟦 Blue — Combat Sports Venues
🟪 Purple — Words Containing Golf Clubs
🔍 Detailed Breakdown
🟨 Yellow (Easiest) — Sports Documentaries
The easiest category in Sports Puzzle #663 is "Sports Documentaries". The four words are:
- FREE SOLO
- HOOP DREAMS
- ICARUS
- SENNA
🟩 Green (Medium) — Hockey Penalties
The medium category in Sports Puzzle #663 is "Hockey Penalties". The four words are:
- FIGHTING
- HIGH-STICKING
- INTERFERENCE
- TRIPPING
🟦 Blue (Hard) — Combat Sports Venues
The hard category in Sports Puzzle #663 is "Combat Sports Venues". The four words are:
- CAGE
- MAT
- OCTAGON
- RING
🟪 Purple (Hardest) — Words Containing Golf Clubs
The hardest category in Sports Puzzle #663 is "Words Containing Golf Clubs". The four words are:
- GRIDIRON
- HARDWOOD
- RED RIVER
- SPUTTER
🎯 Strategy Tips for Puzzle #663
A great strategy for this grid is to isolate the hockey terms first, as penalties like HIGH-STICKING are highly specific and narrow down your options immediately. Once the standard sports terms are cleared, look at the remaining unusual nouns like SPUTTER and RED RIVER—identifying the hidden "putter" and "driver" golf clubs unlocks the hardest trick category of the day.
⚠️ Red Herring Warning: Several words in this grid were cleverly placed to throw you off your game by crossing sports boundaries. Most notably, GRIDIRON (football), HARDWOOD (basketball), and MAT (wrestling/gymnastics) easily look like a category dedicated to types of sports playing surfaces. Additionally, FIGHTING and OCTAGON might temp you to group them immediately with combat sports, but FIGHTING is strictly required to round out the hockey penalties set.
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