Mr Viral
Hints and answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, No. 226, for May 7.
CNET editor Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, a journalist and pop-culture junkie, is co-author of “Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops? The Lost Toys, Tastes and Trends of the ’70s and ’80s,” as well as “The Totally Sweet ’90s.” She’s been a journalist since 1989, working at Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, Twin Cities Sidewalk, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and NBC News Digital. She’s Gen X in birthdate, word and deed. If Marathon candy bars ever come back, she’ll be first in line.
Expertise Breaking news, entertainment, lifestyle, travel, food, shopping and deals, product reviews, money and finance, video games, pets, history, books, technology history, and generational studies Credentials
Co-author of two Gen X pop-culture encyclopedia for Penguin Books. Won “Headline Writer of the Year” award for 2017, 2014 and 2013 from the American Copy Editors Society. Won first place in headline writing from the 2013 Society for Features Journalism. Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.
The minute I saw “Mr. Met” in today’s Connections: Sports Edition, I knew mascot names had to be a category. Although you never know–it could’ve been an anagram for something, the way these puzzle-makers challenge players. Read on for hints and the answers.
Connections: Sports Edition is out of beta now, making its debut on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 9. That’s a sign that the game has earned enough loyal players that The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by the Times, will continue to publish it. It doesn’t show up in the NYT Games app but now appears in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can continue to play it free online.
Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta
Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groupsHere are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.
Yellow group hint: No scoring for you!
Green group hint: Think Walter Payton.
Blue group hint: Team symbols.
Purple group hint: Same sound as football names.
Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groupsYellow group: Prevent a goal.
Green group: Stats for a running back.
Blue group: MLB mascots.
Purple group: Homophones of NFL head coaches.
Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words
What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers? The completed NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for May 7, 2025, #226.
NYT/Screenshot by CNETThe yellow words in today’s ConnectionsThe theme is prevent a goal. The four answers are block, parry, save and stop.
The green words in today’s ConnectionsThe theme is stats for a running back. The four answers are attempts, fumbles, touchdowns and yards.
The blue words in today’s ConnectionsThe theme is MLB mascots. The four answers are Blooper, Mr. Met, Orbit and Wally.
The purple words in today’s ConnectionsThe theme is homophones of NFL head coaches. The four answers are bowls, carol, read and tailor, for Todd Bowles, Pete Carroll, Andy Reid and Zac Taylor.
