The Connections: Sports Edition puzzle No. 618, dated June 3, 2026, invites players to solve a word puzzle with a difficulty level of 2.5 out of 5. Participants must categorize 16 words into four distinct groups based on common themes. Hints for the game include 'STUFF' for yellow, indicating synonyms related to dunking, and 'LAKERS' for green, referring to NBA teams with five or more championships. Other categories include player nicknames and associations with Jalen Brunson. The game is designed to test players' ability to identify connections while avoiding mistakes. Mark Cooper, the puzzle's creator and managing editor for college sports at The Athletic, encourages players to share their scores in the comments section. The next puzzle will be available at midnight in each time zone.