NYT Strands Hints: Strands, a lesser-known gem in the New York Times’ puzzle collection, offers a delightful challenge akin to a word search with a twist. While it may not have the same fanfare as Wordle or Connections, Strands can be just as engaging and tricky. As Strands makes its official debut outside of beta, it’s gaining attention from puzzle enthusiasts everywhere. If you’re grappling with today’s Strands puzzle, fear not—this guide will walk you through the hints, spangram, and answers to help you conquer it with ease.
How To Play Strands
Strands presents a six by eight grid of letters where your goal is to find words related to a specific theme. Here’s a step-by-step on how to approach it:
- Identify the Theme: You’ll be given a clue to help uncover the theme. When you find a word that fits the theme, it will turn blue.
- Locate the Spangram: The spangram is a special word that spans from one side of the grid to the other. It summarizes the theme and will turn yellow when found.
- Word Search: In addition to theme words and the spangram, you’ll need to fill the grid with letters to use every square. Words that don’t fit the theme will still help reveal hints.
Some themes might be specific categories, synonyms, or even phrases, which adds an extra layer of challenge to the game.
Today’s Strands Hint
For Tuesday, August 13, the hint provided by NYT is: “Mainly paper.” This should point you toward words related to paper-based resources.
My Boosted Hint: Think about useful resources and references that you would typically find in book form.
Today’s Strands Answers
Spangram: The spangram for today is “REFERENCE”. It connects the two opposite sides of the board and ties the theme together.
Other Theme Words: Today’s theme revolves around paper-based resources. Here are the words you need to find:
- ATLAS
- ALMANAC
- HANDBOOK
- THESAURUS
- DICTIONARY
These words represent classic reference materials, which are indeed relics from an era when paper was the primary medium for information.
Strategy Tips
- Start with the Theme Hint: Use the clue to guide your search for theme-related words.
- Identify Spangram: Keep an eye out for words that could stretch across the grid—this often helps in discovering other theme words.
- Use All Letters: Make sure every letter is used in either a theme word or the spangram to complete the puzzle.
Strands might seem straightforward, but it can present its own set of challenges. With these tips and answers, you’re well-equipped to tackle today’s puzzle and become a Strands master. Happy solving!
