This MLB puzzle ran on Nov 1, 2026. The task was to connect Steve Avery to Craig Biggio with a chain of real players. The objective: “Your chain must include a player with 3,000+ career hits.” Par was 4 links. A search of the full player pool found a shortest chain of 2 links.
Steve Avery (SP) played in the MLB from 1990 to 2003. Career stops: the Braves (1990 to 1996), the Red Sox (1997 to 1998), the Reds (1999), and the Tigers (2003). 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.
Craig Biggio (2B) played in the MLB from 1988 to 2007. A one-team career, spent with the Astros (1988 to 2007). 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.
Steve Avery and Craig Biggio 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 stat milestone objective. At least one player in the chain has to have cleared the career or season mark named in the objective. Of the 11,807 players in the pool, 25 satisfy it. The best known are Hank Aaron (OF, 1954 to 1976), Rickey Henderson (OF, 1979 to 2003), Willie Mays (OF, 1951 to 1973), Derek Jeter (SS, 1995 to 2014), Cal Ripken Jr. (SS, 1981 to 2001), and George Brett (3B, 1973 to 1993).
8 of those players share a team or college with Steve Avery, and 0 share one with Craig Biggio. With one side that thin, the route has to be built outward from the other end.
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 MLB puzzle archive, read the strategy guides, or see how scoring works on How to Play.