A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Monday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Monday, October 19 (game #960).
Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.
Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.
NYT Strands today (game #961) - hint #1 - today's theme
What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?
• Today's NYT Strands theme is… [see below]
NYT Strands today (game #961) - hint #2 - clue words
Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
- SECT
- SACK
- RICE
- PLUCK
- LAKE
- GLACE
NYT Strands today (game #961) - hint #3 - spangram letters
How many letters are in today's spangram?
• Spangram has 13 letters
NYT Strands today (game #961) - hint #4 - spangram position
What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?
• First side: left, 2nd row
• Last side: right, 6th row
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Strands today (game #961) - the answers
The answers to today's Strands, game #961, are…
- WALK
- GAME
- SELECT
- CHASE
- PLAYGROUND
- CIRCLE
- SPANGRAM: DUCKDUCKGOOSE
- My rating: Easy
- My score: Perfect
Even though I knew from the pictogram that the theme was DUCKDUCKGOOSE, I still managed to miss getting a very obvious Spangram First — the Strands equivalent of missing an open goal in soccer.
Instead, I begin with WALK then saw the first of the two ducks and felt like a fool.
I also missed the chance of getting the components of the game in order, which would have been satisfying. Instead, much like when I played DUCKDUCKGOOSE as a child, I just ploughed into the GAME without thinking.
Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Monday, October 19, game #960)
- DEITY
- DRYAD
- FATES
- MUSES
- FURIES
- NYMPH
- SATYR
- SPANGRAM: MYTHOLOGICAL
What is NYT Strands?
Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.