NYT Connections Sports Edition Hints and Answers for October 28, 2025 (#400)

The latest NYT Connections: Sports Edition for October 28, 2025, challenges sports fans with a unique all-logo theme. Puzzle #400 featured clues tied to baseball, basketball, and football franchises — ideal for those with sharp eyes for team emblems. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the hints, group themes, and correct answers for today’s sports-themed edition.

The Sports Edition version of NYT Connections is published by The Athletic, part of The New York Times network, and focuses exclusively on athletic themes. Unlike the standard NYT Games app, this version can be played through The Athletic’s own platform or its web version for free. Each puzzle groups sixteen items into four themed categories that test both visual recognition and sports knowledge.

Full Breakdown of NYT Connections Sports Edition (October 28, 2025)

Today’s sports-themed Connections puzzle was centered on team logos and required identifying connections across leagues and locations. Below is the detailed explanation of each color-coded group and what tied them together.

🟡 Yellow Group – AL West Teams: This group featured four Major League Baseball teams belonging to the American League West division — Angels, Astros, Athletics, and Rangers. The shared link was their divisional alignment, representing the westernmost franchises in the AL.

🟢 Green Group – Seattle Teams: Every team in this group hailed from Seattle, covering various professional leagues. The answers were Kraken (NHL), Mariners (MLB), Seahawks (NFL), and Sounders (MLS). This reflected the Emerald City’s well-rounded sports representation across North America’s major leagues.

🔵 Blue Group – Teams Kevin Durant Has Played For: The answers in this category highlighted the basketball star’s professional and college career journey: Rockets, Texas, Thunder, and Warriors. These represent Durant’s time with the Texas Longhorns (NCAA), Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors, and a nod to his stint with the Rockets organization.

🟣 Purple Group – “Golden” Teams: The toughest set focused on names that literally include the word “Golden.” The correct answers were Golden Bears, Golden Gophers, Golden Hurricane, and Golden Knights. This linked together collegiate and professional teams sharing the “golden” moniker.

Community Reactions and Puzzle Insights

Fans praised the October 28 edition for combining visual recognition with sports trivia, a step up from recent text-based puzzles. The “Golden” group tripped up many solvers, as it mixed college programs like the California Golden Bears and Minnesota Golden Gophers with pro teams such as the Vegas Golden Knights. Meanwhile, sports fans easily cleared the AL West and Seattle groups first, consistent with the typical difficulty gradient from yellow (easiest) to purple (hardest).

With Puzzle #400, the Sports Edition of NYT Connections continues to gain traction among fans seeking themed challenges outside traditional word games like Wordle and Strands. The Athletic’s collaboration with NYT Games has expanded its sports puzzle audience, drawing attention for its mix of trivia, recognition, and cultural crossover appeal.

The NYT Connections: Sports Edition for October 28 (#400) proved a fun test of sports fandom and logo literacy. Whether you’re a baseball, basketball, or hockey fan, today’s puzzle offered a little something for everyone — and another reason to keep your sports knowledge sharp.

FYI (keeping you in the loop)-

Q1: What were the groups in the NYT Connections Sports Edition for Oct. 28?

The groups were AL West teams, Seattle teams, teams Kevin Durant has played for, and “Golden” teams.

Q2: Which teams were in the AL West group?

The AL West teams were the Angels, Astros, Athletics, and Rangers.

Q3: Which teams represented Seattle in today’s puzzle?

The Seattle-based teams were Kraken, Mariners, Seahawks, and Sounders.

Q4: What was the hardest group in today’s puzzle?

The hardest group was the “Golden” teams set, including Golden Bears, Golden Gophers, Golden Hurricane, and Golden Knights.

Q5: Where can you play the NYT Connections Sports Edition?

You can play it through The Athletic’s app or online portal, not the main NYT Games app.