NEW YORK — The New York Times Connections Sports Edition puzzle No. 605 for Thursday, May 21, 2026, featured 16 sports-related words grouped into four categories centered on college game elements, pitching mound synonyms, Alpine skiing disciplines and Charlotte-based teams.

The puzzle, available through The Athletic, challenged players to sort the words into four groups of four. It carried a difficulty rating consistent with recent editions in the sports-themed variant.

The yellow category, typically the easiest, was "Seen at a college sporting event": BAND, CHEERLEADERS, DANCE TEAM, STUDENT SECTION.

The green category was "Pitching mound": BUMP, HILL, MOUNT, RUBBER.

The blue category was "Alpine skiing disciplines": COMBINED, DOWNHILL, SLALOM, SUPER-G.

The purple category, often the hardest, was "Charlotte ____": 49ERS, FC, HORNETS, NORTH.

Connections Sports Edition, a collaboration between The New York Times and The Athletic, adapts the original Connections format with a sports focus.........

© International Business Times