Today’s NYT Strands: Theme, clues, and the spangram (game 772)
Strands is the NYT’s latest word game, following Wordle, Spelling Bee, and Connections. A fresh puzzle goes live each day according to your local time zone, which means some readers see “today’s game” while others are already on “yesterday’s.” If you’re after Monday’s puzzle, you can find hints and answers for April 13 (game #771) here.
Spoiler alert: the details below reveal today’s Strands setup and solutions.
Today’s Strands (game #772) — theme
- The intended theme for today’s puzzle isn’t clearly pinned down, leaving it a bit enigmatic.
Clue words to unlock hints
- Use any of these strings to access the in-game hints: BATHTOOL LADY FATHOM BLADES SIDE NYT
Spangram letters
- The day’s spangram is ten letters long.
Spangram position
- The two edges of the board touched by the spangram are:
- Left edge, first row
- Left edge, eighth row
The answers
- HAZY, BLURRY, SOFT, CLOUDY, FADED, MUTED, BEDIMMED
- Spangram: OUTOFFOCUS
My take
- Rating: Hard
- Score: Perfect
I found the theme and the visual wordplay intriguing, with a subtle push toward “off” and “dim” descriptors that suit the Strands vibe. Even though one entry, BEDIMMED, looked a bit odd at first glance, the overall board comes together with a satisfying sense of coherence as the spangram locks into place.
Yesterday’s NYT Strands answers (Monday, April 13, game #771)
- BICYCLE, GRILL, MOWER, WHEELBARROW, TOOLS, SHOES
- Spangram: STORAGE SHED
What is NYT Strands?
- Strands is the NYT’s add-on word game, expanding the lineup beyond Wordle, Spelling Bee, and Connections. It’s now a regular feature on the NYT Games platform, accessible from desktop or mobile.
For a fuller how-to and solver tips, there’s a dedicated guide that breaks down strategies to tackle Strands each day.
About the author
- Johnny is a freelance pop culture journalist who covers the internet, music, football, and famous people. Previously known as the Pop Detective, his work has included interviews with Elton John and Blur, along with more humorous or challenging assignments. He currently resides in North London, enjoys riding his bike, and often yells at pigeons.
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