NYT Connections Sports Edition puzzle #311, dated Thursday, July 31, 2025, groups its 16 sports terms into four sets: 8-ball pool terms, AFC West teams, people and things associated with Jalen Hurts, and phrases beginning with “tennis.” If you want to solve it yourself first, use the spoiler-light clues below before opening the answers.
Hints for Connections Sports Edition #311
The puzzle asks players to group sports terms that share a common thread. These clues move from broad to more specific, so stop at any point if you have enough to make your guesses.
- Yellow: Starts with a break.
- Green: Part of one of two conferences.
- Blue: Special Philly.
- Purple: For the court.
Answers for July 31, 2025
Read on only if you’re ready for the complete solution.
| Group | Category | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | Terms in 8-ball pool | CUE, SCRATCH, SOLID, STRIPES |
| Green | AFC West teams | BRONCOS, CHARGERS, CHIEFS, RAIDERS |
| Blue | Associated with Jalen Hurts | ALABAMA, EAGLES, OKLAHOMA, SUPER BOWL MVP |
| Purple | Tennis ____ | COURT, ELBOW, RACKET, SHOES |
How the four connections work
Yellow: Terms in 8-ball pool
A cue is the stick used to strike the cue ball. A scratch is a foul, commonly involving pocketing the cue ball. Solids and stripes are the two numbered-ball groups in standard 8-ball.
#1 Best Overall
- Height: 9.5in / 24cm, Width: 6.75in / 17cm
- By Barbara Ireland
- Paperback
- 669 pages
- Imprint: Taschen
Green: AFC West teams
The Broncos, Chargers, Chiefs and Raiders are the four NFL teams in the AFC West.
Blue: Associated with Jalen Hurts
Hurts played college football at Alabama and Oklahoma before joining the Philadelphia Eagles. “Super Bowl MVP” refers to the award he received after Philadelphia’s Super Bowl LIX win; in this puzzle’s answer list, it appears as one displayed entry.
Rank #2
- Height: 13.75in / 35cm, Depth: 2in / 5cm, Width: 10.25in / 26cm
- By Reuel Golden
- Hardcover
- 560 pages
- Imprint: Taschen
Purple: Tennis ____
Add “tennis” before each word to form the phrases tennis court, tennis elbow, tennis racket and tennis shoes.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Rank #4
Rank #3
- Height: 9.75in / 24.5cm, Width: 6.75in / 17cm
- By Barbara Ireland
- Paperback
- 752 pages
- Imprint: Taschen
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