When The New York Times teamed up with The Athletic to launch a sports‑focused spin on its popular word game, the daily Connections Sports Edition, a quirky numbering glitch on Saturday, October 18, 2025, set fans scrambling for answers.
According to a Parade.com post dated October 18, the puzzle that morning carried the label “#390,” a figure echoed by an AOL.com recap published the same day. Yet a Word.Tips article, also dated October 18, called the same edition “#396,” leaving a puzzling gap in the official sequence. The discrepancy, while seemingly minor, matters to the growing community of crossword‑and‑puzzle addicts who track each game like a sports statistic.
What Is Connections Sports Edition?
Connections Sports Edition is a daily, beta‑stage word‑grouping challenge that resets at 12 a.m. EST. Players are presented with sixteen terms and must sort them into four groups of four, each group sharing a hidden sports‑related theme. The format mirrors the standard Connections puzzle that debuted in The New York Times in early 2023, but every clue is drawn from football, basketball, baseball, rowing, and a grab‑bag of other athletic arenas.
Parade.com describes it as “a new word game from The New York Times and The Athletic,” while Word.Tips calls it “a brand‑new, sports‑themed puzzle game, currently in Beta, brought to you through a collaboration between The New York Times and The Athletic.” Both outlets stress that the game is meant for “passionate sports fans” who already juggle Wordle, Strands, and the Mini Crossword.
Puzzle Numbering Discrepancy on October 18 2025
The heart of the October 18 story lies in the inconsistent numbering. Parade.com’s headline – “NYT Connections Sports Edition Today: Hints, Answers, October 18” – lists the game as #390 and provides a brief hint box. AOL.com mirrors that figure in its “Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Oct. 18, No. 390” wrapper. In contrast, Word.Tips’s article titled “Connections Sports Edition NYT: Hints & Answers for Today's Game” identifies the same day’s puzzle as #396, even offering a screenshot that displays the higher number.
The clash could be a simple editorial typo, a lag in the internal numbering system, or a sign that the beta platform runs on a separate counter from the main Connections engine. Either way, the mix‑up fuels conversation on Reddit’s r/NYTimesGames and on The Athletic’s comment boards, where users argue over whether the error will affect leaderboard standings that reset each month.
How the Game Works and Sample Solutions
While the exact October 18 word list remains unpublished, Word.Tips did release the complete answers for the following day’s puzzle – #397 – giving us a taste of the challenge’s flavor. The four groups were:
- HEAT, FLAMES, SUNS, FIRE (all synonyms for hot weather or fire‑related mascots)
- COXSWAIN, BOW, STERN, REGATTA (terms from rowing)
- UCLA, LAKERS, SKYHOOK, 33 (Kareem Abdul‑Jabbar’s iconic move and jersey number at UCLA)
- CHARLES, BOSTON, BIRD, PLUM (references to famous baseball players and teams)
The mix of straightforward categories (rowing gear) and brain‑twisters (the Kareem reference) illustrates why the game feels fresh for seasoned puzzlers yet still approachable for casual fans. Players generally solve the puzzle in under five minutes, though the difficulty spikes when a category leans on obscure historical facts.
The Business Tie‑Up Behind the Game
Behind the fun lies a strategic partnership that began when Adam Hansmann and Alex Mather, co‑founders of The Athletic, sold a majority stake to The New York Times Company in 2022 for $550 million. The acquisition gave the Times a foothold in premium sports journalism, while The Athletic gained a massive distribution network.
The Daily Games platform, housed at the Times’ headquarters in New York, New York, now serves as a testing ground for cross‑brand experiments like Connections Sports Edition. By blending The Athletic’s deep sports expertise with the Times’ puzzle‑making pedigree, the collaboration aims to keep subscribers engaged across multiple verticals – a key goal after the 2022 Wordle purchase expanded the Times’ game portfolio.
Player Reception and Future Outlook
Early feedback has been largely positive. Word.Tips’ promotional copy – “Think you know your sports trivia? Play now and prove it!” – resonates with users who appreciate the “beta” label, feeling they’re part of a developmental loop. Parade.com notes that “word‑game addicts who already love Wordle, Connections, Strands, and the Mini Crossword now have Connections Sports Edition to add to the mix,” underscoring the game’s role as a loyalty driver.
However, the numbering hiccup reminds the product team that consistency matters, especially when daily streaks feed into subscription incentives. Industry analyst Maya Patel of MediaMetrics speculates that the Times may soon integrate the sports edition into its paid “Games Plus” tier, offering exclusive hints or early access for a modest fee.
Looking ahead, the partnership could spawn other niche spin‑offs – perhaps a “Music Edition” or a “Science Edition” – each leveraging a The Athletic‑style content partner. For now, fans will keep refreshing the puzzle at midnight, hoping the next day’s list doesn’t come with a surprise #‑shift.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do Parade.com and Word.Tips list different puzzle numbers for October 18, 2025?
The two outlets likely pulled the number from separate data feeds. Parade.com and AOL.com appear to use the official NYT counter, while Word.Tips may reference an internal beta counter that lagged behind, resulting in the #390 vs. #396 mismatch.
How does Connections Sports Edition differ from the regular Connections puzzle?
Both games present sixteen words that must be grouped into four categories. The sports edition limits every clue to a sports‑related term or concept, pulling from football, basketball, baseball, rowing, and more, whereas the standard version spans pop culture, geography, history, and other topics.
Do I need a subscription to play Connections Sports Edition?
Full access to the daily puzzle requires a New York Times Games subscription. Some hints and the Mini Crossword are offered for free, but the sports edition’s answers are behind the paywall.
What impact does the NYT‑Athletic partnership have on future games?
The collaboration blends deep sports journalism with puzzle‑design expertise, opening doors for more themed spin‑offs. Analysts expect the Times will leverage The Athletic’s data to create richer, data‑driven puzzles that keep subscribers engaged across multiple interests.
Will the numbering issue be fixed for future puzzles?
The New York Times Games team has acknowledged the inconsistency on its forums and plans to synchronize the public numbering with the internal beta counter, ensuring that streak trackers and leaderboards remain accurate.