The Ball Grid
Day #181 answers — 29 October 2026
2025/2026 Season
This is the full record of The Ball Grid for 2026-10-29: the categories that made up each 3×3 board, every Premier League player who satisfied both criteria in each square, how the field actually answered them, and the day’s leading scores. Every player listed appeared for the relevant club and met the relevant statistical criteria within the 2025/2026 season alone.
Classic Grid
Day #181’s Classic Grid was drawn from the 2025/2026 Premier League season and rated Easy. Across the nine cells there were 341 qualifying players in total. The tightest square was Newcastle United × Defender, with only 10 valid answers; the most forgiving was 7+ Clean Sheets × Defender, where 71 players fit.
In play, the square that caught people out was Over 30 at Season Start × Non-English, answered correctly just 66% of the time, while Newcastle United × Defender was filled correctly 93% of the time.
Row categories
- Defender— Listed as a Defender in 2025/2026.
- Over 185cm— 185cm or taller in 2025/2026.
- Non-English— Non-English nationality in 2025/2026.
Column categories
- Newcastle United— Appeared for Newcastle United in 2025/2026.
- Over 30 at Season Start— Over 30 at Season Start in 2025/2026.
- 7+ Clean Sheets— Kept 7 or more clean sheets (Goalkeeper or Defender only) in 2025/2026.
Every square, and who qualified
Newcastle United × Defender10 answers
Show the 10 qualifying players
Malick Thiaw, Dan Burn, Lewis Hall, Sven Botman, Kieran Trippier, Valentino Livramento, Fabian Schär, Emil Krafth, Jamaal Lascelles, Alex Murphy.
Over 30 at Season Start × Defender29 answers
Show the 29 qualifying players
Virgil van Dijk, James Tarkowski, Luke Shaw, Kyle Walker, Lewis Dunk, Michael Keane, Dan Burn, Reinildo Mandava, Lucas Digne, Harry Maguire, Kieran Trippier, Tyrone Mings, Andrew Robertson, Fabian Schär, Adam Smith, Joël Veltman, Victor Lindelöf, Matt Doherty, Nathan Aké, Nathaniel Clyne, Luke O'Nien, John Stones, Ethan Pinnock, Ben Davies, Arthur Masuaku, Emil Krafth, Jamaal Lascelles, Séamus Coleman, Sam Byram.
7+ Clean Sheets × Defender71 answers
Show the 71 qualifying players
Virgil van Dijk, Adrien Truffert, Nikola Milenković, James Tarkowski, Marcos Senesi, Michael Olabode Kayode, Tyrick Mitchell, Luke Shaw, Jan Paul van Hecke, Neco Williams, Marc Guehi, Ferdi Kadioglu, Jake O´Brien, Ibrahima Konaté, Maxence Lacroix, Mickey van de Ven, Trai Hume, Ezri Konsa, Matty Cash, Nathan Collins, Vitalii Mykolenko, Joe Rodon, Pascal Struijk, Joachim Andersen, Matheus Nunes, Lewis Dunk, Chris Richards, Jayden Bogle, Omar Alderete, Pedro Porro. + 41 more qualify
Newcastle United × Over 185cm11 answers
Show the 11 qualifying players
Nick Woltemade, Malick Thiaw, Nick Pope, Dan Burn, Joelinton, Sven Botman, Lewis Miley, Fabian Schär, Aaron Ramsdale, Jamaal Lascelles, Alex Murphy.
Over 30 at Season Start × Over 185cm44 answers
Show the 44 qualifying players
Danny Welbeck, Raúl Jiménez, Virgil van Dijk, Bernd Leno, Jordan Pickford, James Tarkowski, Casemiro, Martin Dúbravka, Granit Xhaka, Lewis Dunk, Emiliano Martínez, Matz Sels, Tomáš Souček, João Palhinha, Michael Keane, Nick Pope, Alisson Becker, Dan Burn, José Sá, Karl Darlow, Josh Laurent, Alphonse Areola, Harry Maguire, Will Hughes, Chris Wood, Tyrone Mings, Ross Barkley, Fabian Schär, Sam Johnstone, Victor Lindelöf. + 14 more qualify
7+ Clean Sheets × Over 185cm53 answers
Show the 53 qualifying players
Virgil van Dijk, Đorđe Petrović, Bart Verbruggen, Bernd Leno, Jordan Pickford, Nikola Milenković, Dean Henderson, Caoimhin Kelleher, James Tarkowski, Marcos Senesi, Jan Paul van Hecke, Robin Roefs, Jake O´Brien, Ibrahima Konaté, Maxence Lacroix, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Mickey van de Ven, Robert Sánchez, Matty Cash, Nathan Collins, Joe Rodon, Pascal Struijk, Senne Lammens, Joachim Andersen, Lewis Dunk, Emiliano Martínez, Chris Richards, Omar Alderete, Guglielmo Vicario, Nordi Mukiele. + 23 more qualify
Newcastle United × Non-English11 answers
Show the 11 qualifying players
Nick Woltemade, Bruno Guimarães, Malick Thiaw, Sandro Tonali, Joelinton, Sven Botman, Anthony Elanga, Fabian Schär, Yoane Wissa, Emil Krafth, Alex Murphy.
Over 30 at Season Start × Non-English46 answers
Show the 46 qualifying players
Raúl Jiménez, Bruno Fernandes, Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Bernd Leno, Casemiro, Leandro Trossard, Martin Dúbravka, Bernardo Silva, Granit Xhaka, Emiliano Martínez, Matz Sels, Tomáš Souček, João Palhinha, John McGinn, Alisson Becker, Idrissa Gueye, José Sá, Reinildo Mandava, Lucas Digne, Alphonse Areola, Jefferson Lerma, Pascal Groß, Chris Wood, Andrew Robertson, Ryan Christie, Fabian Schär, Joël Veltman, Victor Lindelöf, Tom Cairney. + 16 more qualify
7+ Clean Sheets × Non-English66 answers
Show the 66 qualifying players
Virgil van Dijk, Đorđe Petrović, Bart Verbruggen, Bernd Leno, Adrien Truffert, Nikola Milenković, Caoimhin Kelleher, David Raya, Marcos Senesi, Michael Olabode Kayode, Jan Paul van Hecke, Neco Williams, Robin Roefs, Ferdi Kadioglu, Jake O´Brien, Ibrahima Konaté, Maxence Lacroix, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Mickey van de Ven, Robert Sánchez, Trai Hume, Matty Cash, Nathan Collins, Vitalii Mykolenko, Joe Rodon, Pascal Struijk, Senne Lammens, Joachim Andersen, Matheus Nunes, Emiliano Martínez. + 36 more qualify
Top 10 that day
| # | Player | Score | Correct |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Will | 695 | 9/9 |
| 2 | Brandon | 560 | 9/9 |
Rapid Fire
Day #181’s Rapid Fire was drawn from the 2025/2026 Premier League season and rated Easy. Across the nine cells there were 447 qualifying players in total. The tightest square was Arsenal × 3+ Yellow Cards, with only 10 valid answers; the most forgiving was Forward × European, where 114 players fit.
In play, the square that caught people out was Forward × 3+ Yellow Cards, answered correctly just 42% of the time, while Arsenal × European was filled correctly 100% of the time.
Row categories
- European— European nationality in 2025/2026.
- 3+ Goals— Scored 3 or more PL goals in 2025/2026.
- 3+ Yellow Cards— 3+ Yellow Cards in 2025/2026.
Column categories
- Arsenal— Appeared for Arsenal in 2025/2026.
- 190cm or Taller— 190cm or Taller in 2025/2026.
- Forward— Listed as a Forward in 2025/2026.
Every square, and who qualified
Arsenal × European21 answers
Show the 21 qualifying players
Viktor Gyökeres, Bukayo Saka, Martín Zubimendi, Declan Rice, David Raya, Leandro Trossard, William Saliba, Eberechi Eze, Jurriën Timber, Noni Madueke, Riccardo Calafiori, Martin Ødegaard, Mikel Merino, Cristhian Mosquera, Kai Havertz, Ben White, Myles Anthony Lewis-Skelly, Max Dowman, Ethan Chidiebere Nwaneri, Christian Nørgaard, Kepa Arrizabalaga.
190cm or Taller × European95 answers
Show the 95 qualifying players
Erling Haaland, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Cody Gakpo, Hugo Ekitike, Thiemo Barry, Nick Woltemade, Virgil van Dijk, Đorđe Petrović, Bart Verbruggen, Ryan Gravenberch, Nikola Milenković, Beto Bercique, Robin Roefs, Martin Dúbravka, Jake O´Brien, Jørgen Strand Larsen, Ibrahima Konaté, Maxence Lacroix, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Mickey van de Ven, Robert Sánchez, Nathan Collins, Joe Rodon, Maxime Esteve, Pascal Struijk, Sander Berge, Senne Lammens, Joachim Andersen, Lewis Dunk, Guglielmo Vicario. + 65 more qualify
Forward × European114 answers
Show the 114 qualifying players
Erling Haaland, Antoine Semenyo, Ollie Watkins, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Jarrod Bowen, Viktor Gyökeres, Danny Welbeck, Bryan Mbeumo, Harry Wilson, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Kevin Schade, Jaidon Anthony, Eli Junior Kroupi, Cody Gakpo, Hugo Ekitike, Iliman Ndiaye, Zian Flemming, Dango Aboubacar Faissal Ouattara, Pedro Neto, Bukayo Saka, Thiemo Barry, Nick Woltemade, Crysencio Summerville, Beto Bercique, Harvey Barnes, Brian Brobbey, Leandro Trossard, Noah Okafor, Jørgen Strand Larsen, Anthony Gordon. + 84 more qualify
Arsenal × 3+ Goals11 answers
Show the 11 qualifying players
Viktor Gyökeres, Bukayo Saka, Martín Zubimendi, Declan Rice, Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Magalhães, Eberechi Eze, Jurriën Timber, Noni Madueke, Mikel Merino, Gabriel Jesus.
190cm or Taller × 3+ Goals27 answers
Show the 27 qualifying players
Erling Haaland, Igor Thiago, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Cody Gakpo, Hugo Ekitike, Benjamin Šeško, Thiemo Barry, Nick Woltemade, Virgil van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch, Beto Bercique, Jørgen Strand Larsen, Mickey van de Ven, Malick Thiaw, Trevoh Chalobah, Anton Stach, Gabriel Magalhães, Nico O'Reilly, Tomáš Souček, João Palhinha, Chimuanya Ugochukwu, Michael Keane, Santiago Bueno, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Tolu Arokodare, Chris Wood, Alexander Isak.
Forward × 3+ Goals69 answers
Show the 69 qualifying players
Erling Haaland, Igor Thiago, Antoine Semenyo, Ollie Watkins, João Pedro, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Jarrod Bowen, Viktor Gyökeres, Danny Welbeck, Bryan Mbeumo, Harry Wilson, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Matheus Cunha, Kevin Schade, Jaidon Anthony, Eli Junior Kroupi, Richarlison, Cody Gakpo, Hugo Ekitike, Raúl Jiménez, Iliman Ndiaye, Zian Flemming, Ismaïla Sarr, Evanilson, Benjamin Šeško, Dango Aboubacar Faissal Ouattara, Pedro Neto, Bukayo Saka, Mohamed Salah, Thiemo Barry. + 39 more qualify
Arsenal × 3+ Yellow Cards10 answers
Show the 10 qualifying players
Viktor Gyökeres, Martín Zubimendi, Declan Rice, Gabriel Magalhães, Jurriën Timber, Riccardo Calafiori, Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus, Cristhian Mosquera, Myles Anthony Lewis-Skelly.
190cm or Taller × 3+ Yellow Cards49 answers
Show the 49 qualifying players
Igor Thiago, Cody Gakpo, Thiemo Barry, Virgil van Dijk, Đorđe Petrović, Bart Verbruggen, Ryan Gravenberch, Nikola Milenković, Beto Bercique, Robin Roefs, Jake O´Brien, Jørgen Strand Larsen, Ibrahima Konaté, Maxence Lacroix, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Mickey van de Ven, Robert Sánchez, Nathan Collins, Malick Thiaw, Joe Rodon, Pascal Struijk, Sander Berge, Joachim Andersen, Lewis Dunk, Trevoh Chalobah, Anton Stach, Gabriel Magalhães, Nico O'Reilly, Tomáš Souček, João Palhinha. + 19 more qualify
Forward × 3+ Yellow Cards51 answers
Show the 51 qualifying players
Igor Thiago, Antoine Semenyo, Ollie Watkins, João Pedro, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Jarrod Bowen, Viktor Gyökeres, Danny Welbeck, Bryan Mbeumo, Harry Wilson, Matheus Cunha, Kevin Schade, Jaidon Anthony, Eli Junior Kroupi, Richarlison, Cody Gakpo, Raúl Jiménez, Zian Flemming, Dango Aboubacar Faissal Ouattara, Pedro Neto, Thiemo Barry, Crysencio Summerville, Beto Bercique, Brian Brobbey, Alex Iwobi, Noah Okafor, Jørgen Strand Larsen, Anthony Gordon, Yankuba Minteh, Emi Buendía. + 21 more qualify
Top 10 that day
| # | Player | Time | Correct |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andrew | 1:05 | 9/9 |
| 2 | Brandon | 1:58 | 9/9 |
| 3 | Will | 2:27 | 9/9 |