Connections: Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for Sept. 1, 2026, puzzle No. 708

September 1, 2026 - 07:12

If you are looking for a little help with today's Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, you have landed in the right place. Puzzle number 708 for September 1, 2026, is live, and we are breaking down the hints and the final answers without spoiling the fun too early.

For those new to the game, the goal is to sort 16 sports-related words into four hidden groups of four. Each group shares a common thread, and the difficulty ramps up from the straightforward yellow category to the tricky purple one. Today's set has a nice mix of player terms, team nicknames, and a couple of curveballs that might make you pause.

Here are the hints for each group, from easiest to hardest. The yellow group is about basic equipment you would find on a field or court. The green group focuses on scoring actions that are not the main goal of the sport. The blue group is a little trickier, as it involves specific positions or roles that are often overlooked. The purple group is the real test, as it plays on word meanings or alternate definitions of common sports terms.

If you want to solve it yourself, stop reading here. If you are ready for the answers, scroll down.

Full solution for puzzle No. 708:

Yellow group (easy): Items used to keep score or track time. The words are whistle, stopwatch, scoreboard, and clipboard.

Green group (medium): Ways to gain a point without a standard goal or touchdown. The words are free throw, penalty kick, safety, and field goal.

Blue group (hard): Defensive positions in American football that are often in the secondary. The words are cornerback, safety, nickel, and dime. Note that safety appears in both the green and blue groups, so you have to be careful about which one fits where.

Purple group (tricky): Words that can be preceded by "bench" to form common phrases. The words are press, warrant, mark, and warmer.

That wraps up today's puzzle. Come back tomorrow for another set of hints and answers.