Home → NYT Sports Archive → Puzzle #680
NYT Connections Sports Puzzle #680 — Answers & Solution
Tuesday, August 4, 2026 · Difficulty: ⭐⭐⭐ Medium
🏆 NYT Connections Sports Puzzle #680 — Complete Answers
- 🟨 Yellow – Baseball Pitching Roles: ACE, CLOSER, OPENER, SETUP
- 🟩 Green – Big Ten Teams: BADGERS, DUCKS, GOLDEN GOPHERS, HUSKIES
- 🟦 Blue – Second Words in NHL Team Names: JACKETS, KNIGHTS, LEAFS, WINGS
- 🟪 Purple – Pittsburgh Steelers: HIGHSMITH, METCALF, QUEEN, WATT
📋 All 16 Words — Puzzle #680
✅ Full Answers — Puzzle #680
🟨 Yellow — Baseball Pitching Roles
🟩 Green — Big Ten Teams
🟦 Blue — Second Words in NHL Team Names
🟪 Purple — Pittsburgh Steelers
🔍 Detailed Breakdown
🟨 Yellow (Easiest) — Baseball Pitching Roles
The easiest category in Sports Puzzle #680 is "Baseball Pitching Roles". The four words are:
- ACE
- CLOSER
- OPENER
- SETUP
🟩 Green (Medium) — Big Ten Teams
The medium category in Sports Puzzle #680 is "Big Ten Teams". The four words are:
- BADGERS
- DUCKS
- GOLDEN GOPHERS
- HUSKIES
🟦 Blue (Hard) — Second Words in NHL Team Names
The hard category in Sports Puzzle #680 is "Second Words in NHL Team Names". The four words are:
- JACKETS
- KNIGHTS
- LEAFS
- WINGS
🟪 Purple (Hardest) — Pittsburgh Steelers
The hardest category in Sports Puzzle #680 is "Pittsburgh Steelers". The four words are:
- HIGHSMITH
- METCALF
- QUEEN
- WATT
🎯 Strategy Tips for Puzzle #680
Start by grouping the MLB Pitching Roles (Yellow) as they are distinct tactical baseball terms. Next, identify the Big Ten Conference mascots (Green). Isolating the truncated NHL team nicknames (Blue)—such as Blue Jackets, Golden Knights, Maple Leafs, and Red Wings—leaves the Pittsburgh Steelers players (Purple) to complete the board.
⚠️ Red Herring Warning: A potential red herring involves "DUCKS" and "HUSKIES"—players might attempt to group them with NHL or minor league teams rather than Big Ten collegiate mascots. Additionally, "JACKETS", "KNIGHTS", and "QUEEN" might tempt solvers to look for chess or medieval imagery connections.
🔗 Explore More
