Sports
Connections: Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for Sept. 2, 2026, puzzle No. 709
Need help with today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle? You’ve come to the right place.
Welcome to Connections: Sports Edition Coach — a spot to gather clues and discuss (and share) scores.
A quick public service announcement before we continue: The bottom of this article includes the answers — and hints — for the four categories. So if you want to solve the board hint-free, we recommend you play before continuing.
You can access today’s game here. And when you’re done, try out our limited-edition Connections: Soccer Edition for an extra challenge.
Today’s difficulty
Game No. 709’s difficulty: 2.5 out of 5
Connections: Sports Edition hints for Sept. 2, 2026

Scroll below for one answer in each of the four categories.
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Yellow: BASE
Green: RICE
Blue: ALONSO
Purple: 3-POINT
Connections: Sports Edition answers for Sept. 2, 2026
Scroll below for the full answers to each of the four categories.
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Yellow
_____ball sports: BASE, BASKET, RACQUET, VOLLEY
Green
Texas schools: BAYLOR, HOUSTON, RICE, SMU
Blue
Fernandos: ALONSO, MENDOZA, TATIS, VALENZUELA
Purple
_____ play: 3-POINT, DOUBLE, SQUEEZE, TRICK
What is Connections: Sports Edition?
Connections: Sports Edition is The Athletic’s first-ever game, a daily puzzle designed for players to find connections between 16 words on the game board.
The game’s objective is to group words or objects into four groups of four based on commonalities within each group as quickly as possible. Find the groups without making four mistakes. Each puzzle has exactly one solution, so watch out for words or items that seem to belong to multiple categories!
Category examples:
Sports ____ : Fan, Car, Bar, Radio
U.S. Summer Olympians: Biles, Phelps, Ledecky, Lyles
Each category group is assigned a color, revealed as you solve, ranging from straightforward (yellow) to medium (green) to challenging (blue) to tricky (purple).
Who creates the puzzles for Connections: Sports Edition?
That’s me! My name is Mark Cooper, and I create Connections: Sports Edition and work as a managing editor for college sports here at The Athletic. I was previously The Athletic’s managing editor for breaking news.
The next puzzle will be available at midnight in your time zone. Thanks for playing — and share your scores in the comments!
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Sports
Tiger Woods: 15-time major champion set to appear in court over car crash plea | Golf News

Tiger Woods will appear in court for a change of plea hearing following his latest car crash earlier this year.
The golf legend was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after he crashed his Land Rover in Florida in March. A police incident report said he was travelling at high speeds on a residential road when his vehicle clipped a truck during an attempted overtake and rolled on to its side.
Woods had pleaded not guilty to driving under the influence in April, but the 50-year-old is set to appear in court on Wednesday for a change of plea hearing.
It’s not known what he will change his plea to or if he has reached a plea deal with prosecutors.
The police report said deputies found two hydrocone pills – used to treat pain – in his pocket, and he showed signs of impairment. It described Woods’ movements as slow and lethargic when speaking to deputies at the scene.
The report also said Woods appeared to be sweating, his eyes looked glassy, and his pupils were dilated.
Woods managed to crawl out of his car without any injuries and told a deputy he was looking down at his phone and changing the radio station when he hit the truck.
When asked by a deputy if he took any prescription medications, Woods said: “I take a few.”
The 15-time major winner also told deputies he had taken prescription drugs earlier that morning.
He agreed to a breathalyser test that showed no signs of alcohol but refused a urine test, authorities said.
After he pleaded not guilty, the 15-time major winner – who did not report any injuries after the crash – said he was “stepping away for a period of time to seek treatment”.
He travelled outside of the US to an inpatient treatment facility, according to court records.
The crash was his fourth since 2009.
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Sports
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Test your ball knowledge against today’s Who Am I?, Five in Five and Brainteaser.
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Sports
Tiger Woods to change plea after DUI crash arrest in Florida
No one was injured in the crash, though Woods had to crawl out through the passenger door to free himself.
Police released body camera footage in April that captured the aftermath of the incident, showing the golfing legend after his vehicle clipped a truck and rolled over.
In the video, Woods appears calm, kneeling on one knee as he tells officers: “I looked down at my phone, and all of a sudden, boom”.
He passed a breathalyser test but declined to take a urinalysis screening for other drugs, Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek said at the time.
Woods told officers he had not consumed alcohol that day. When asked about any prescription medication, he responded, “I take a few”, adding he had done so earlier that morning.
He then listed the medication, though that portion of the footage was redacted.
Officers told Woods they suspected his “normal faculties” were impaired by an “unknown substance”.
Authorities later reported finding two white pills in his pocket, identified as hydrocodone, an opioid commonly prescribed to treat pain.
Woods wrote on social media following the incident, “I know and understand the seriousness of the situation I find myself in today.
“I am stepping away for a period of time to seek treatment and focus on my health. This is necessary in order for me to prioritise my wellbeing and work toward lasting recovery.”
The incident marked Woods’ second arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence.
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