The NYT Connections hints for October 29 are now live — and today’s special Sports Edition brings a creative twist for fans of football, basketball, and classic stadium snacks. Puzzle No. 401 offers clever wordplay across four themed groups, featuring everything from iconic NFL defenses to NBA arenas. Here’s a full breakdown of hints, categories, and final answers for today’s puzzle.

Released by The Athletic, the NYT Connections: Sports Edition continues to challenge sports fans with categories inspired by American sports culture. The October 29, 2025, edition stands out for its mix of humor, nostalgia, and tricky linguistic turns.

NYT Connections: October 29 Sports Edition — Hints and Themes

Today’s puzzle delivers four categories, ranging from easy to mind-bending. The hints released by The Athletic are:

• Yellow group hint: Buy me some Cracker Jack.
• Green group hint: Hoops homes.
• Blue group hint: Like the Monsters of the Midway.
• Purple group hint: Football teams, with a twist.

The yellow group connects to familiar stadium treats, while the blue and purple groups challenge solvers to think creatively about NFL wordplay and team nicknames.

NYT Connections Sports Edition: Full Answers for October 29

Yellow Group – Things a Stadium Vendor Sells: Beer, Cotton Candy, Hot Dogs, Peanuts.

Green Group – NBA Arenas: Barclays, Little Caesars, Smoothie King, United.

Blue Group – Famous Nicknames for NFL Defenses: Legion of Boom, Orange Crush, Purple People Eaters, Steel Curtain.

Purple Group – NFL Teams with Second-to-Last Letter Changed: Beads (Bears), Biles (Bills), Colas (Colts), Packets (Packers).

Each group tests players’ ability to associate sports culture, geography, and humor. The purple group, in particular, stands out for its playful manipulation of NFL team names.

Insights on Today’s Sports-Themed Puzzle

This NYT Connections Sports Edition balances accessibility and challenge. Long-time fans will recognize classic NFL nicknames like the Legion of Boom (Seattle Seahawks) and Steel Curtain (Pittsburgh Steelers), while newer fans might learn about vintage monikers such as Orange Crush (Denver Broncos) and Purple People Eaters (Minnesota Vikings).

The inclusion of NBA arenas like Barclays and United adds a multi-sport flair, ensuring basketball fans can play along too. And, as always, the yellow group’s comfort-food theme adds a dash of Americana nostalgia.

The October 29 puzzle reaffirms why the Sports Edition of NYT Connections is gaining traction — it bridges sports trivia and wordplay in a uniquely engaging way.

FYI (keeping you in the loop)-