NYT Connections: Sports Edition for Feb 21, 2026 (#516)

By Anish
Published: Feb 21, 2026

Looking for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition answers for Feb 21, 2026?
Here are full hints and solutions for Puzzle #516.

Today’s board was tricky.
Funny thing? The purple group was easier than expected.

Let’s break it down.

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What Is Connections: Sports Edition?

Connections: Sports Edition is the sports version of Connections.

It is published by The Athletic, which is owned by The New York Times.

You sort 16 sports-related words into 4 groups of 4.
Each group shares a theme.

Yellow is usually easiest.
Purple is usually hardest.

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NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints for Feb 21, 2026

Before the answers, here are clues:

🟨 Yellow Hint: Teams from the Old Line State.
🟩 Green Hint: Famous basketball star nicknames.
🟦 Blue Hint: Linked to “The Natural.”
🟪 Purple Hint: Sports that use a driver.

Need the full solution? Scroll down.

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NYT Connections: Sports Edition Answers for Feb 21, 2026

🟨 Yellow – Maryland Teams

• Midshipmen
• Orioles
• Ravens
• Terrapins

All teams from Maryland.

• Baltimore Orioles
• Baltimore Ravens

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🟩 Green – Shaquille O’Neal Nicknames

• Big Aristotle
• Diesel
• Shaq
• Superman

All nicknames of NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal.

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🟦 Blue – Associated with “The Natural”

The Natural is a baseball movie starring Robert Redford.

Words:

• Baseball
• Hobbs
• Knights
• Wonderboy

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🟪 Purple – Sports That Have a Driver

• Bobsled
• F1
• Golf
• Water Polo

Each of these sports includes a driver role.

For example:

• Formula One drivers
• Golf uses a driver club
• Bobsled has a sled driver
• Water polo has a “drive” move

This group was clever but not too hard.

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Why Today’s Puzzle Was Interesting

• Yellow required state knowledge.
• Green tested NBA history.
• Blue required movie knowledge.
• Purple mixed meanings of “driver.”

Nice mix of sports and pop culture.

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FAQ – NYT Connections: Sports Edition Feb 21, 2026

What are the NYT Connections: Sports Edition answers for Feb 21, 2026?

The groups were Maryland Teams, Shaquille O’Neal Nicknames, Associated with “The Natural,” and Sports That Have a Driver.

What was the hardest group in Puzzle #516?

Many players found yellow or blue harder. Purple was easier than usual.

Where can I play Connections: Sports Edition?

You can play it on The Athletic website or app.

Is Sports Edition different from regular Connections?

Yes. It focuses only on sports themes.

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Final Thoughts

The NYT Connections: Sports Edition answers for Feb 21, 2026 gave us a solid mix of sports trivia and wordplay.

Come back tomorrow for the next Sports Edition hints and answers.