Athletic enthusiasts are getting a fresh addition to their daily gaming lineup. Following the widespread popularity of soccer and sports-themed variations of Connections, The Athletic has partnered once more with New York Times Games to introduce a dedicated sports spin-off of the hit puzzle Strands.

Strands: Sports Edition is accessible directly on the web and through The Athletic application. Users can jump into the action completely free without a subscription, with a fresh grid refreshing daily at midnight in local time zones.

We love how much this edition of Strands challenges sports fans to think about the games they love in new ways. Yes, it is about searching for words, but it also combines elements of trivia and logic to figure out exactly the right combination of terms to unlock each handcrafted grid. The expertise of the New York Times Games team gives us a proven format, and the expertise we bring from The Athletic channels that toward a fresh look at the rich world of sports. It fits incredibly well alongside Connections: Sports Edition and the rest of our offerings for all sports fans. - Oskar Garcia, Editorial Director at The Athletic

Garcia crafted the new puzzles alongside fellow Athletic contributors Zack Pierce and Mark Cooper.

How to Play Strands: Sports Edition

The gameplay requires participants to locate a specific set of theme-based words. Naturally, every puzzle centers strictly around the athletic universe. Both versions feature 48 total letters mapped out inside an 8-row by 6-column grid. Players must utilize every letter exactly once to construct words navigating in any direction, moving beyond traditional linear word-search constraints.

As players uncover terms, the underlying concept becomes progressively apparent. Uncovering foundational words like REFEREE followed by REDCARD quickly clarifies the objective. A special term known as the spangram spans at least two opposing grid boundaries to summarize the core theme. Additionally, uncovering valid non-theme words provides helpful hints.

Unlike traditional iterations, this sports adaptation permits proper nouns, encompassing professional athletes, prominent franchises, and major leagues. Players will also encounter concise multi-word athletic phrases such as SPLITSTEP and ONEHOPPER.

Diverse thematic categories range from specific sports figures, municipalities, and clubs to broader pop culture crossovers involving sports-inspired films and music.

Adapting this format is a calculated strategic move for The Athletic, building on massive engagement figures that saw Strands achieve over 1.5 billion solves throughout 2025. Audience enthusiasm for gaming has already proven robust, as evidenced by Connections: Soccer Edition, which transitioned from a temporary World Cup feature into a permanent fixture due to overwhelming demand.