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 Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Tuesday, October 20 (game #961).
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 #962) - hint #1 - today's theme
What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?
• Today's NYT Strands theme is… On a higher level
NYT Strands today (game #962) - hint #2 - clue words
Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
- STORK
- YURT
- ACORN
- THUG
- BONE
- BOOTS
NYT Strands today (game #962) - hint #3 - spangram letters
How many letters are in today's spangram?
• Spangram has 10 letters
NYT Strands today (game #962) - hint #4 - spangram position
What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?
• First side: left, 3rd row
• Last side: right, 3rd row
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Strands today (game #962) - the answers
The answers to today's Strands, game #962, are…
- BOXES
- LUGGAGE
- TRUNKS
- YEARBOOKS
- DECORATIONS
- SPANGRAM: INTHEATTIC
- My rating: Easy
- My score: Perfect
After yesterday’s duck, duck… goose pictogram theme, normal service was resumed with “on a higher level” — a pun that could have meant any number of things but was actually about the multiple things found INTHEATTIC.
Unfortunately, I spotted the spangram about 0.01 seconds after connecting BOXES, as I can’t help myself from being drawn to rare letters whenever I start a game. A shame, as this was an easily spottable yellow snake.
I have most of today’s game words in my attic, with the exception of YEARBOOKS — I do, though, have plenty of books.
Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Tuesday, October 20, game #961)
- WALK
- GAME
- SELECT
- CHASE
- PLAYGROUND
- CIRCLE
- SPANGRAM: DUCKDUCKGOOSE
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.