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 #276) - hint #1 - today's theme
What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?
• Today's NYT Strands theme is… I now pronounce you ...
NYT Strands today (game #276) - hint #2 - clue words
Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
- RAIL
- TRADE
- DATE
- GRAIL
- RAVE
- FLEX
NYT Strands today (game #276) - hint #3 - spangram
What is a hint for today's spangram?
• Where's that accent from?
NYT Strands today (game #276) - hint #4 - spangram position
What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?
First: top, 4th column
Last: bottom, 2nd column
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Strands today (game #276) - the answers
The answers to today's Strands, game #276, are…
- GRAVE
- ACUTE
- TILDE
- UMLAUT
- CEDILLA
- CIRCUMFLEX
- SPANGRAM: DIACRITICS
- My rating: Hard
- My score: 2 hints
Hi, Johnny here, taking over Strands duties from Marc (who'll still be looking after the daily Wordle today page, if that's also on your reading list).
Let's be honest, who didn't immediately think of weddings when they saw today's theme?
After a couple of hints, it became apparent that we were instead looking for the words for the dots, accents, and squiggles placed over letters to indicate how they should be pronounced – something which in our age of texting and group chats is vanishing – in English-speaking countries instead.
Unless, of course, you are a fan of heavy metal, where an UMLAUT is near-obligatory, whether it is required or not. Blue Öyster Cult were the first rock band to use this particular DIACRITIC, and they did so purely because they thought it looked good and added an air of the occult.
The use of unnecessary umlauts does lead to confusion, though. Mötley Crüe singer Vince Neil told Vanity Fair that they put umlauts in their name after drinking Löwenbräu but had no idea what it meant until they toured Germany many years later and were puzzled to hear the crowd chanting, "Mutley Cruh! Mutley Cruh!"
Vince's opinions on the cedilla are unknown.
How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.
Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Tuesday, 3 December, game #275)
- CANDLE
- LANTERN
- TORCH
- HEADLAMP
- FLASHLIGHT
- SPANGRAM: ILLUMINATION
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.
