This NFL puzzle ran on Sep 7, 2026. The task was to connect Alex Singleton to Justice Hill with a chain of real players. The objective: “Your chain must include a Mississippi State alum.” Par was 3 links.
Alex Singleton (LB) played in the NFL from 2019 to 2026. Career stops: the Philadelphia Eagles (2019 to 2021) and the Denver Broncos (2022 to 2026). College: Montana State. As the Start of the chain, a household name like this gives you a lot of teammates to branch from, which makes it a friendly place to begin.
Justice Hill (RB) played in the NFL from 2019 to 2026. A one-team career, spent with the Baltimore Ravens (2019 to 2026). College: Oklahoma State. As the Finish of the chain, a household name like this gives you a lot of teammates to branch from, which makes it a friendly place to begin.
Alex Singleton and Justice Hill do not share a team or a college, so there is no direct link. You need at least one connector in between, and the objective decides which ones are allowed to count.
This was a college objective. The chain has to pass through a player from the named school at some point, not necessarily as a link to the Start or Finish. Of the 17,973 players in the pool, 164 satisfy it. The best known are Dak Prescott (QB, 2016 to 2026), Fletcher Cox (DT, 2012 to 2023), Darius Slay (CB, 2013 to 2025), Montez Sweat (LB, 2019 to 2026), Preston Smith (OLB, 2015 to 2025), and Eric Moulds (WR, 1996 to 2007).
17 of those players share a team or college with Alex Singleton, and 7 share one with Justice Hill. The Finish is the tighter side, so it often pays to work backward from Justice Hill.
One shortest chain found by searching the full player pool, preferring the best known names at every step:
Many other chains work. Scoring rewards lower-profile connectors, so the best-known route is rarely the highest scoring one.
Want more? Browse the full NFL puzzle archive, read the strategy guides, or see how scoring works on How to Play.