Connections: Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for Aug. 5, 2026, puzzle No. 681

August 5, 2026 - 11:18

First, a quick nudge for those who just need a push. The four categories today lean into team nicknames, common sports terms that double as everyday words, and a couple of specific player milestones. One group is all about things you might see on a scoreboard, but not the numbers. Another is a set of verbs that coaches yell from the sideline. If you are stuck on the purple group, think about famous rivalries that share a city.

Still with me? Here are the answers. The yellow group is "Ways to describe a blowout win": rout, shellacking, drubbing, and laugher. The green group is "Baseball stat abbreviations": AVG, OPS, RBI, and WAR. The blue group is "NBA teams with bird mascots": Hawks, Pelicans, Raptors, and Thunder (yes, the Thunderbird is implied, but the team name works). The purple group is "Words that follow 'Super' in NFL contexts": Bowl, Tuesday, Wild Card, and Max (as in Super Max contract).

That wraps up puzzle No. 681. If you nailed it, great. If you missed a group, do not sweat it. The trick is usually one category that hides in plain sight, like the stat abbreviations. Drop your score in the comments and let us know which group tripped you up. See you tomorrow for No. 682.