puzzlerzone
What The Chains is
The Chains is a daily sports puzzle that challenges you to link two NFL players by building a chain of shared affiliations. Each step in the chain must connect two players who either played for the same NFL team (in any season) or attended the same college. The player pool spans every NFL player from 1990 to the present, so connections can cross eras and rosters.
How to play
You begin with a designated Start player. To extend the chain, you type a player name and choose from the suggestions that appear. Each accepted name must share a team or college with the previous player in the chain. When your chosen player legally connects to the Finish player, the chain is complete and the puzzle is solved.
Tips
- Look for players who have been on multiple teams or who attended large college programs; they often act as bridges between otherwise distant players.
- Consider players from the same draft class or era, as they may have overlapping college or early-career teams.
Common questions
Can I play more than once a day?
A new puzzle is released daily, but the archive lets you play any previous puzzle at your convenience.
What counts as a shared team?
Any NFL team that both players have played for, regardless of season, qualifies as a valid connection.