NYT Connections: Sept. 5 Sports Puzzle Highlights Vince Carter, NFL Cities and More

The NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for September 5, 2025, brought both excitement and challenge to sports fans. Puzzle #347 featured themes from bowling to international NFL games.

The puzzle is part of the daily sports word game released by The Athletic, a publication owned by The New York Times. Since its Super Bowl launch, it has gained a loyal following.

Today’s NYT Connections Sports Puzzle: Answers and Themes

Today’s edition had four groups. Each group shared a sports-related theme. Some were easy. Others were tricky.

The yellow group focused on bowling terms. The words were:

Gutter

Spare

Split

Strike

These are all actions or results in a typical bowling frame. It was the most straightforward group.

The green group covered NFL international game cities. This year’s locations include:

Berlin

London

Madrid

São Paulo

These cities are scheduled to host official NFL games during the 2025 season. The league’s global expansion is in full swing.

The blue group was for NBA fans. The theme was associated with Vince Carter, the legendary dunker. The answers:

Dunk contest

Toronto

UNC

Vinsanity

Carter’s career began at UNC, reached iconic status in Toronto, and was defined by his unforgettable dunk contests.

The purple group was more abstract. It focused on MLS club name words. The correct groupings were:

City

United

Inter

Real

These terms are part of team names in Major League Soccer, like Inter Miami or Real Salt Lake.

What Makes NYT Connections: Sports Edition Stand Out?

NYT Connections: Sports Edition mixes wordplay with real sports knowledge. That’s what makes it unique.

The daily challenge often connects sports history, terms, and locations. It’s not just a game—it’s a test of fan memory and insight.

According to CNET, this puzzle game officially came out of beta on Super Bowl Sunday, February 9, 2025. Since then, it has been featured in The Athletic app and online.

It’s not in the main NYT Games app yet. But that hasn’t stopped fans from playing it daily.

This puzzle format has joined the league of other NYT daily games like Wordle, Strands, and the Mini Crossword.

Why Today’s Puzzle Was Especially Tricky

Group difficulty was higher today, especially for casual fans. The Vince Carter theme stumped those unfamiliar with his NBA legacy.

Similarly, the MLS word group was confusing unless you’re deep into U.S. soccer.

Still, the game rewarded sports trivia buffs with clever connections across leagues and countries.

The NFL cities group showed how much the sport has grown beyond U.S. borders. Meanwhile, the MLS group hinted at the league’s attempt to mirror European naming traditions.

NYT Connections continues to engage players with sharp, thematic puzzles rooted in real sports knowledge.

Thought you’d like to know-

Q1: What is NYT Connections: Sports Edition?

It’s a daily word puzzle focused on sports topics. It’s published by *The Athletic*, owned by *The New York Times*.

Q2: What were the answers for Sept. 5 puzzle?

They were bowling terms, NFL cities, Vince Carter connections, and MLS team name words.

Q3: Where can I play NYT Connections: Sports Edition?

It’s available for free online or in *The Athletic* app. It’s not in the NYT Games app yet.

Q4: Why is Vince Carter included in today’s puzzle?

He’s a famous NBA player known for his dunks and long career, especially in Toronto.

Q5: What’s the hardest part of today’s puzzle?

The purple group with MLS team name words was the most difficult for many players.