Spoilers for the February 21, 2026, puzzle: Connections: Sports Edition #516 groups its 16 words into Maryland teams, Shaquille O’Neal nicknames, references to The Natural, and sports that have a driver. The hints and answer groups below are reported by Parade and Mashable.
Hints for Connections: Sports Edition #516
Parade and Mashable published slightly different hint wording. These are the outlets’ reported clues, not confirmed official NYT hint text.
- Yellow: Parade: “Old Line State.” Mashable: “Plays in the Old Line State.”
- Green: Parade: “Hoops legend.” Mashable: “The Big Fella.”
- Blue: Both guides point to a Robert Redford movie.
- Purple: Parade: “Vroom-vroom.” Mashable: “Driver.”
Answers for February 21, 2026
The reported solution divides the grid into these four groups of four:
| Color | Category | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | Maryland teams | MIDSHIPMEN, ORIOLES, RAVENS, TERRAPINS |
| Green | Shaquille O’Neal nicknames | BIG ARISTOTLE, DIESEL, SHAQ, SUPERMAN |
| Blue | Associated with The Natural | BASEBALL, HOBBS, KNIGHTS, WONDERBOY |
| Purple | Sports that have a driver | BOBSLED, F1, GOLF, WATER POLO |
How the four connections work
Yellow: Maryland teams
MIDSHIPMEN, ORIOLES, RAVENS, and TERRAPINS are teams associated with Maryland. The state clue helps separate this set from the athlete and movie references.
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Green: Shaquille O’Neal nicknames
BIG ARISTOTLE, DIESEL, SHAQ, and SUPERMAN all refer to basketball star Shaquille O’Neal.
Blue: The Natural
BASEBALL points to the sport in the film; HOBBS is the character surname, KNIGHTS is the team, and WONDERBOY is the bat name, as the guides explain the group.
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Purple: sports that have a driver
BOBSLED, F1, GOLF, and WATER POLO complete the “driver” set. The word or role does not mean precisely the same thing in all four sports; the category groups the sports by their association with a driver.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.About this archived puzzle
Connections: Sports Edition is described by Parade and Mashable as a daily, sports-focused version of Connections in which players sort 16 words into four groups of four. This guide is for the dated February 21, 2026, puzzle, #516—not the current daily puzzle. The answer key above is cross-checked against those two secondary guides; an official answer record was not reviewed.
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