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 Wordle today, NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games.
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 #204) - hint #1 - today's theme
What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?
• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Gnaw-it-alls
NYT Strands today (game #204) - hint #2 - clue words
Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
- PINE
- LANE
- CHIC
- STUD
- STUDIO
- MAST
NYT Strands today (game #204) - hint #3 - spangram
What is a hint for today's spangram?
• House of mouse!
NYT Strands today (game #204) - hint #4 - spangram position
What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?
First: right, 4th row
Last: left, 5th row
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Strands today (game #204) - the answers
The answers to today's Strands, game #204, are…
- HAMSTER
- MUSKRAT
- SQUIRREL
- CHINCHILLA
- PORCUPINE
- SPANGRAM: RODENTS
- My rating: Easy
- My score: 1 hint
I'm rather annoyed at myself for not getting a perfect score today, because this is another fairly easy Strands puzzle from the NYT. But I needed another hint to get going, with no answers standing out despite the (in hindsight) relatively obvious theme clue. The frustrating thing is that 'Gnaw-it-alls' did suggest an animal to me, and I looked for beaver – which seemed the most obvious example. But that wasn't there and I used a hint to get started.
Once I had that first word (HAMSTER) it all became a lot easier. MUSKRAT and SQUIRREL were simple, the spangram even more so, and though the final two were more difficult, in large part due to their spellings, I completed the game in only about five minutes.
How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.
Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Sunday 22 September, game #203)
- BRAIN
- LIVER
- HEART
- KIDNEYS
- STOMACH
- LUNGS
- SPANGRAM: INTERNALORGANS
What is NYT Strands?
Strands is the NYT's new word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now out of beta so is a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable and 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.
