Looking for Connections: Sports Edition hints for November 2, 2026? Puzzle #770 gives everyday words several sporting jobs. Try separating actions, people and familiar sporting expressions before deciding which four belong together.
Start with the gentle clues, then move to the stronger group hints. The optional two-word reveals, complete answers and detailed explanations begin in closed panels, so you can choose how much help to uncover.
Start with a gentle clue. Two-word hints, answers and explanations stay hidden until you open them.
Playing the regular word puzzle? Regular Connections guide — a different puzzle
Gentle Hints for Puzzle #770
Try one clue for the group you are working on. You do not need to read all four.
- Yellow
Think of a shot that went in.
- Green
Read these as actions rather than things.
- Blue
Some ordinary-looking words are people's names.
- Purple
Supply the same sporting word before each tile.
Stronger Group Hints
These clues narrow the theme without listing the four words. Stop here if a theme clicks.
- Yellow
Four names for a successful basketball shot belong together.
- Green
Each verb can describe sending a ball into motion.
- Blue
These are surnames of four professional football placekickers.
- Purple
Put GOAL first to form four terms for parts of, or areas around, a scoring target.
Two-Word Hints — Partial Answers
Still stuck on one color? Reveal two words that belong together in that group. This gives away part of the answer, so open only the color you need.
Yellow Reveal 2 words Hide words Spoiler
- BASKET
- BUCKET
These two belong together. Look for two more tiles that share their connection.
Green Reveal 2 words Hide words Spoiler
- BOWL
- ROLL
These two belong together. Look for two more tiles that share their connection.
Blue Reveal 2 words Hide words Spoiler
- BASS
- LOOP
These two belong together. Look for two more tiles that share their connection.
Purple Reveal 2 words Hide words Spoiler
- MOUTH
- LINE
These two belong together. Look for two more tiles that share their connection.
Connections Sports Answers for November 2, 2026
Ready to check your solution? Opening this panel reveals all four category names and all 16 words for #770.
Reveal all four answer groups for #770
Yellow
A SCORE IN BASKETBALL
- BASKET
- BUCKET
- FIELD GOAL
- MAKE
Green
PROPEL A BALL
- BOWL
- ROLL
- HURL
- FLING
Blue
NFL KICKERS
- BASS
- LOOP
- LITTLE
- FOLK
Purple
GOAL _____
- MOUTH
- LINE
- POST
- CREASE
Why These Groups Work
This section explains each word and a possible wrong turn. It contains spoilers even if the answer panel above is closed.
Reveal the explanations and possible traps
Yellow
A SCORE IN BASKETBALL
BASKET, BUCKET, FIELD GOAL and MAKE can each refer to a successful basketball shot. The group mixes everyday and informal language with the formal field-goal term. It does not require one fixed point value: a field goal can be worth two or three points, while a free throw is recorded separately.
How each word fits
- BASKET
-
BASKET can mean a successful basketball shot as well as the hoop and net. This group uses the scoring sense: the shot went in.
- BUCKET
-
BUCKET is an informal basketball word for a made basket. Read it as a scoring result rather than a container.
- FIELD GOAL
-
FIELD GOAL is a made basketball shot other than a free throw. Under NBA scoring rules it earns two or three points, depending on the shooter's position.
- MAKE
-
MAKE is a noun for a successful shot, the opposite of a miss. Jr. NBA's box-score guide uses that make-or-miss distinction when describing a shot's outcome.
Green
PROPEL A BALL
BOWL, ROLL, HURL and FLING are verbs that can describe propelling a ball. BOWL and ROLL can send it along a surface; HURL and FLING describe throwing it. The connection is causing the ball to move, not using one identical delivery technique in a single sport.
How each word fits
- BOWL
-
BOWL means to roll a ball in bowls or bowling. The action sense supplies the connection, rather than the word's container or football-event meanings.
- ROLL
-
ROLL means to send a ball along a surface so that it turns as it moves. It fits the group's broader idea of propelling a ball.
- HURL
-
HURL means to throw forcefully. A ball can be hurled, so this is another action that sends it moving.
- FLING
-
FLING means to throw, often with a forceful or sudden motion. It joins HURL as a throwing verb rather than a name for sporting equipment.
Blue
NFL KICKERS
BASS, LOOP, LITTLE and FOLK are the surnames of NFL kickers Tyler Bass, Tyler Loop, Cam Little and Nick Folk. Their official team profiles identify each player's position as K. The set depends on recognizing people rather than finding a shared everyday meaning of the four words.
How each word fits
- BASS
-
BASS identifies Tyler Bass, the Buffalo Bills kicker. His official team profile lists his position as K.
- LOOP
-
LOOP identifies Tyler Loop, the Baltimore Ravens kicker. The tile is his surname, rather than a description of a ball's path.
- LITTLE
-
LITTLE identifies Cam Little, the Jacksonville Jaguars kicker. Read it as a surname rather than an adjective about size.
- FOLK
-
FOLK identifies Nick Folk, the Atlanta Falcons kicker. His official team page confirms the name and kicking position.
Purple
GOAL _____
Put GOAL before MOUTH, LINE, POST and CREASE to form GOALMOUTH, GOAL LINE, GOALPOST and GOAL CREASE. The results describe areas or features around a sporting goal. The shared rule is word placement: each tile follows GOAL, even though the completed expressions are not all written with the same spacing.
How each word fits
- MOUTH
-
MOUTH completes GOALMOUTH, the area directly in front of a goal, as in soccer or hockey. It is not a player's mouth.
- LINE
-
LINE completes GOAL LINE. In ice hockey this is the line running between the goalposts and continuing across the rink toward the sideboards.
- POST
-
POST completes GOALPOST, one of the upright supports framing a goal. IIHF terminology describes the goalposts as the vertical bars to which the net is attached.
- CREASE
-
CREASE completes GOAL CREASE, the marked area in front of an ice hockey goal. IIHF's glossary links this expression to its entry for the crease.
Connections Sports Edition FAQ
Which Sports Edition puzzle do these hints cover?
These hints cover Connections: Sports Edition #770 for November 2, 2026. The category titles and all 16 tiles match the official dated puzzle data.
Why is FIELD GOAL in the basketball group rather than with the kickers?
The tile has meanings in both sports. In yellow it is a successful basketball shot alongside BASKET, BUCKET and MAKE. The blue group requires four players' surnames, so FIELD GOAL does not complete that set.
Is a basketball field goal the same as a free throw?
No. A field goal is worth two or three points under NBA rules; a successful free throw is worth one and is recorded separately.
Who are BASS, LOOP, LITTLE and FOLK?
They are Tyler Bass, Tyler Loop, Cam Little and Nick Folk. Official Bills, Ravens, Jaguars and Falcons profiles identify all four as kickers.
Does BOWL refer to a football event here?
No. This group uses the verb: to bowl a ball. That action fits with ROLL, HURL and FLING as ways of propelling a ball.
Does GOAL go before or after the purple tiles?
It goes before each one: GOALMOUTH, GOAL LINE, GOALPOST and GOAL CREASE. FIELD GOAL puts it after FIELD, so that expression does not follow the same pattern.
Sources and Verification
Official puzzle data and references for this edition.
View the sources used for this edition
The official November 2 puzzle data confirms #770, the four category titles and all 16 tiles. Official Bills, Ravens, Jaguars and Falcons profiles verify the four kickers' names and positions. NBA rules and Jr. NBA material support the scoring vocabulary; publisher dictionaries and IIHF terminology support the verbs and goal phrases. This is source verification, with no claim of completing the game.
- The Athletic — official Connections: Sports Edition puzzle
- NBA Official — Rule No. 5: scoring and timing
- Jr. NBA — how to read a box score
- American Heritage Dictionary — bucket
- Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary — bowl (verb)
- Merriam-Webster — roll
- Merriam-Webster — hurl
- Merriam-Webster — fling
- Buffalo Bills — Tyler Bass
- Baltimore Ravens — Tyler Loop
- Jacksonville Jaguars — Cam Little
- Atlanta Falcons — Nick Folk
- Merriam-Webster — goalmouth
- IIHF — ice hockey terminology
Connections Solved is an independent guide and is not affiliated with The Athletic or The New York Times.