# Sports & Games Categories Guide Sports and games are frequent sources of categories in NYT Connections. Whether you're a sports fanatic or a board game enthusiast, this guide will help you recognize patterns from the playing field to the game table. ## Major Sports Categories ### ⚾ Baseball Terms Baseball provides rich vocabulary for puzzles: ### 🏈 Football Terminology

Common Football Groups

Positions

• QUARTERBACK, CENTER, GUARD, TACKLE
• SAFETY, CORNER, LINEBACKER, END

Game Terms

• TOUCHDOWN, FIELD GOAL, SAFETY, CONVERSION
• PUNT, PASS, KICK, RUN

### 🏀 Basketball & Other Sports

Multi-Sport Terms

• Basketball: DUNK, LAYUP, THREE, FOUL
• Tennis: LOVE, DEUCE, ACE, FAULT
• Golf: BIRDIE, EAGLE, PAR, BOGEY
• Soccer: GOAL, CORNER, PENALTY, OFFSIDE

## Olympic & Competition Categories ### 🏅 Olympic Sports

Olympic Groupings

Summer Olympics

SWIMMING, TRACK, GYMNASTICS, DIVING

Winter Olympics

SKIING, SKATING, HOCKEY, CURLING

Medal Types

GOLD, SILVER, BRONZE (watch out - could be colors!)

### 🎯 Track & Field Events

Athletic Disciplines

• Running: SPRINT, MARATHON, RELAY, HURDLES
• Field: SHOT, DISCUS, JAVELIN, HAMMER
• Jumping: HIGH, LONG, TRIPLE, POLE

## Board & Card Games ### 🎲 Classic Board Games ### 🃏 Playing Card References

Card Game Categories

Card Games

• POKER, BRIDGE, HEARTS, SPADES
• SOLITAIRE, RUMMY, BLACKJACK, WAR

Poker Hands

• FLUSH, STRAIGHT, PAIR, FULL
• ROYAL, FOLD, BLUFF, ANTE

## Video Games & Modern Gaming ### 🎮 Video Game References

Gaming Categories

Classic Games

MARIO, ZELDA, SONIC, PACMAN

Gaming Terms

BOSS, LEVEL, QUEST, SPAWN

Console Names

SWITCH, PLAYSTATION, XBOX, WII

## Tricky Sports/Games Categories ### ⚠️ Double Meaning Alert

Watch Out For These!

CLUB

Could be: Golf club, nightclub, playing card suit, or sandwich

DIAMOND

Could be: Baseball field, playing card suit, or gemstone

COURT

Could be: Basketball/tennis court, legal court, or royal court

PITCH

Could be: Baseball throw, soccer field, or musical tone

### 🎯 Position Names Across Sports

Shared Terminology

Some terms appear in multiple sports:

• CENTER: Basketball, football, hockey
• FORWARD: Basketball, soccer, hockey
• GUARD: Basketball, football
• WING: Hockey, soccer, rugby

## Quick Reference: Sports & Games Scan

Category Checklist

Traditional Sports

☐ Position names
☐ Equipment terms
☐ Scoring terms
☐ Action verbs

Games & Competition

☐ Board game titles
☐ Card game terms
☐ Game pieces
☐ Gaming actions

Mixed Categories

☐ Olympic events
☐ Team names
☐ Championship terms
☐ Equipment brands

## Pro Tips for Sports & Games 1. **Know Basic Rules**: Understanding common sports terms helps immensely 2. **Think Broadly**: "Games" includes everything from chess to video games 3. **Check for Crossover**: Many terms appear in multiple sports 4. **Consider Slang**: Sports often use informal terms (DUNK, SLAM, etc.) 5. **Watch for Brands**: Nike, Adidas, etc. might group together ## Read Next

Pop Culture Categories

Sports often overlaps with entertainment and celebrity culture.

Double-Meaning Words

Many sports terms have everyday meanings too.