Connections: Sports Edition Launches Daily Puzzle

The New York Times and The Athletic partner on a new interactive sports journalism experience.

Mar. 15, 2026 at 7:27am

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The New York Times has launched Connections: Sports Edition, a daily puzzle game developed in partnership with The Athletic. The new puzzle experience requires specialized sports knowledge, particularly around NCAA basketball, and aims to engage dedicated sports fans in an interactive way that goes beyond traditional reporting.

Why it matters

The launch of Connections: Sports Edition signals a growing trend towards niche gaming experiences that cater to specific interests and fan communities. This model allows news organizations to leverage their sports journalism expertise and create engaging content that can drive subscription revenue from dedicated sports fans.

The details

Connections: Sports Edition differs from more general puzzle games like Wordle by requiring a baseline understanding of basketball concepts such as NCAA tournament brackets, fouls, and coaching figures. The puzzle's themes are also directly tied to current events, like the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, making it a timely and relevant experience for fans. The New York Times and The Athletic plan to potentially expand the Connections franchise to other sports like baseball and football in the future.

  • Connections: Sports Edition launched in March 2026, coinciding with Selection Sunday for the NCAA basketball tournament.

The players

The New York Times

A leading American newspaper that has partnered with The Athletic to develop the Connections: Sports Edition puzzle game.

The Athletic

A subscription-based sports media company that has collaborated with The New York Times on the Connections: Sports Edition puzzle.

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What’s next

The New York Times and The Athletic plan to potentially expand the Connections franchise to other sports like baseball and football in the future.

The takeaway

Connections: Sports Edition represents a blurring of lines between traditional sports journalism and interactive gaming, engaging dedicated sports fans in a way that tests their knowledge and fosters a deeper connection to the game. This model could become increasingly common as news organizations experiment with new ways to deliver sports content.