The Athletic’s Sports Edition Puzzle No. 708 Features NFL Mascots and Matt Ryan References

Key points

• The Athletic published the solution for Connections: Sports Edition puzzle No. 708 on September 1, 2026.
• The puzzle was created by Mark Cooper, a managing editor for college sports at The Athletic.
• The difficulty rating for this specific puzzle was 3.5 out of 5.
• The game requires players to find connections between 16 words without making four mistakes.
• The next puzzle is scheduled to be available at midnight in the player's local time zone.

Background

The Athletic launched Connections: Sports Edition as its first original game, distinct from the New York Times' standard Connections puzzle. Previous archive entries from August and September 2026 show that The Athletic and other outlets regularly publish daily hints and answers for both the standard NYT Connections and The Athletic's sports-themed variant. The standard NYT puzzle typically features general wordplay, while The Athletic's version focuses specifically on sports terminology, figures, and concepts.

Why it matters

Daily word puzzles like Connections have become a significant part of digital media engagement, with The Athletic using its sports-specific version to drive traffic and community interaction among its subscribers. The release of hints and answers helps maintain engagement for readers who struggle with the daily challenge, while the creator's background in college sports ensures the content remains relevant to the publication's core audience.

What to watch

The next Connections: Sports Edition puzzle will be available at midnight in the player's local time zone. The Athletic also encourages players to try its limited-edition Connections: Soccer Edition for an additional challenge.