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Here are the clues and answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition May 16, #600 puzzle.
Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, CNET editor-in-chief, journalist and pop culture junkie, is co-author of “Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops? The Lost Toys, Tastes and Trends of the ’70s and ’80s,” as well as “The Totally Sweet ’90s.” She has been a journalist since 1989 and works for Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, Twin Cities Sidewalk, the Minneapolis Star Tribune and NBC News Digital. She is part of Generation X in terms of date of birth, words and deeds. If Marathon candy bars ever come back, she’ll be first in line.
Skill Latest News, Entertainment, Lifestyle, Travel, Food, Shopping & Deals, Product Reviews, Money & Finance, Video Games, Pets, History, Books, Technology History & Generational Studies Credentials
- Co-author of two Gen X pop culture encyclopedias for Penguin Books. Won the “Headline Writer of the Year” award for 2017, 2014 and 2013 from the American Copy Editors Society. Won first place in the Society for Features Journalism 2013 headline writing.
In search of most recent regular responses to Connections? Click here for today’s Connections tips, plus our daily answers and tips for the New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, and Strands.
Hey, it’s another symbol-only puzzle! You either love them or you hate them. I guess this one is meant to celebrate the fact that today’s Connections: Sports Edition is numbered 600, a nice even number. If you’re having trouble solving the puzzle but still want to solve it, read on for tips and answers.
Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the Times-owned subscription sports journalism site. It doesn’t appear in the NYT Games app, but in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it online for free.
Learn more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle exits beta
Tips for Connections Groups: Sports Today’s Edition
Here are four clues for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ordered from the easiest yellow group to the difficult (and sometimes weird) purple group.
Yellow group index: Beantown.
Green group index: Hoop champions.
Blue group index: The color of this category.
Purple group index: It’s not easy to be this color.
Connections Group Answers: Today’s Sports Edition
Yellow group: Boston teams.
Green group: Last four NBA champions.
Blue group: “blue” teams.
Purple group: “Green” teams and players.
Learn more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words
What are the answers from today’s Connections: Sports Edition?
Here is the symbol grid.
Here is the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for May 16, 2026, before you solve it, so you can remember what all the symbols look like.
NYT/Screenshot by CNETAnd here are the answers.
The NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle completed by May 16, 2026.
NYT/Screenshot by CNETYellow words in today’s Connections
The theme is Boston teams. The four answers are the Bruins, Patriots, Red Sox and Revolution.
Green words in today’s Connections
The theme is the last four NBA champions. The four answers are Celtics, Nuggets, Thunder and Warriors.
Blue words in today’s Connections
The theme is “blue” teams. The four answers are the Blue Devils, Blue Jackets, Blue Jays and Blues.
Purple words in today’s Connections
The theme is that of “green” teams and players. The four answers are Draymond Green, Green Bay, Green Wave and Mean Green.
Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, CNET editor-in-chief, journalist and pop culture junkie, is co-author of “Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops? The Lost Toys, Tastes and Trends of the ’70s and ’80s,” as well as “The Totally Sweet ’90s.” She has been a journalist since 1989 and works for Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, Twin Cities Sidewalk, the Minneapolis Star Tribune and NBC News Digital. She is part of Generation X in terms of date of birth, words and deeds. If Marathon candy bars ever come back, she’ll be first in line. See full bio
