From California Soccer Clubs to LSU Stars—Here’s How the Puzzle Broke Down Today
The New York Times’ Connections: Sports Edition for Sept. 17, 2025 (#359) brought a layered challenge, especially for those not fluent in 1990s sports films or college athletics. But if you’re a fan of Major League Baseball, California soccer, or LSU sports, you probably had a head start.
Here’s the full breakdown of hints, categories, and correct answers to help you make sense of today’s grid—or to just confirm your perfect score.
🟨 Yellow Group Hint: Golden State Kickers
Theme: California Soccer Teams
Answers:
- Angel City
- Bay FC
- Earthquakes
- Galaxy
These represent pro soccer teams in California, from the NWSL (Angel City, Bay FC) and MLS (San Jose Earthquakes, LA Galaxy).
✅ Helpful Tip: When you see location-based sports clues, think regional leagues and team geography.
🟩 Green Group Hint: Where Teams Play
Theme: MLB Stadium Names
Answers:
- Angel (Angel Stadium of Anaheim)
- Dodger (Dodger Stadium)
- Globe Life (Texas Rangers’ stadium)
- Oracle (Home of the San Francisco Giants)
This group may have confused casual fans—“Oracle” and “Globe Life” aren’t intuitive unless you’re familiar with current stadium naming rights.
✅ Helpful Tip: Brush up on sponsor-named stadiums; they show up often.
🟦 Blue Group Hint: Athletic-Themed Films
Theme: Sports Movies of 1994
Answers:
- Angels in the Outfield
- Blue Chips
- Little Big League
- Little Giants
A goldmine of 90s sports nostalgia, this set is great for movie buffs. All these films were released in 1994 and remain cult classics in the family-sports genre.
✅ Helpful Tip: Memorizing key release years can really help with cultural puzzles like this.
🟪 Purple Group Hint: Geaux Tigers!
Theme: LSU Alumni
Answers:
- Chase (Ja’Marr Chase, NFL WR)
- Nabers (Malik Nabers, NFL WR)
- Reese (Angel Reese, WNBA star)
- Skenes (Paul Skenes, MLB pitcher)
The toughest group for those outside college football, basketball, and baseball fandoms, this one celebrated LSU legends across multiple sports.
✅ Helpful Tip: “Geaux Tigers” is a strong giveaway that the group is tied to Louisiana State University (LSU).
Final Thoughts on Puzzle #359
Today’s puzzle was especially balanced across geography (California teams), infrastructure (MLB stadiums), pop culture (90s films), and college athletics (LSU). Each group leaned on a different kind of sports knowledge, making it a rewarding solve for well-rounded fans—or frustrating if you’re more specialized.
