NYT Connections Soccer Edition Puzzle #29 — Answers for July 9, 2026
✅ Full Answers
🟨 Words before "time"
🟩 Player actions/movements on the pitch
🟦 Penalty shootout terms
🟪 Players who missed a World Cup shootout penalty
🎯 Strategy Tips
Start by grouping the time terms: ADDED, EXTRA, FULL, and HALF all cleanly precede "time" (Yellow). Once those are out of the way, look at the physical movement actions: JOG, PRESS, RUN, and WALK fit perfectly together as outfielder actions (Green). Next, focus on the penalty shootout group (Blue): CENTER-CIRCLE (where non-kickers wait), GOALKEEPER, SUDDEN DEATH (extra rounds), and TAKER. This leaves BAGGIO, HAVERTZ, SIX, and WADDLE for the Purple group (World Cup shootout misses). Resolving the list systematically prevents confusing SIX and WADDLE with standard numbers or movement verbs.
⚠️ Red Herring Warning: "SIX" is a major red herring — it is a number that could refer to a shirt number, six-yard box, or six-pointer match, but it is actually the surname of French player Didier Six who missed in the 1982 World Cup semi-final shootout. "WADDLE" might make you think of the movement group (like duck walking or waddling) or even NFL wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, but he is Chris Waddle, the English midfielder who missed in the 1990 semi-final shootout. "PRESS" can be a general action/movement but is also a media term. "EXTRA" could easily be mistaken for extra-time or extra players, so keep an eye on how you group the time-related words.