The NYT word game Strands is still in beta, meaning its status as a genuine member of the publisher's gaming site, along with Wordle and Connections, has yet to be confirmed. I hope he gets full status, because it's a lot of fun: pushing yourself without being impossible and offering a slightly different challenge every day.
I think today is pretty tough, and if you are too, you'll find some helpful tips below.
SPOILER WARNING: Today's NYT Strands info is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.
NYT Strands today (game #81) – track #1 – today's topic
What's the topic of today's NYT Strands?
• Today's NYT Strands topic is… No dice!
NYT Strands Today (Game #81) – Clue #2 – Keywords
What are some good keywords today?
Play any of these words to unlock the game's hint system.
• CHARD
• BITE
• BOW
• REST
• DOLL
• PHONE
NYT Strands today (game #81) – clue #3 – spangram
What's a clue for today's spangram?
• My turn!
NYT Strands today (game #81) – clue #4 – spangram position
What are the two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?
• First: left, fifth row
• Last: bottom, fourth column
Well, the answers are below, so DON'T SCROLL FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Strands Today (Game #81): The Answers
The answers to today's Strands game number 81 are…
- MAFIA
- TWISTER
- CARADAS
- CELEBRITY
- PHONE
- SPANGRAM: PARTY GAMES
- My rating: Moderate
- My score: Perfect
Cultural differences could well have come into play here; I live in the UK and had never heard of three of the five PARTYGAMES listed as answers, and only Charades and TWISTER were among the entertainment options when I was a child. Likewise, it could be an age issue; perhaps shows like CELEBRITY and TELEPHONE have only become popular in recent years.
Anyway, I had trouble with this one, even once I found the spangram. That in itself proved difficult. I discovered MAFIA by accident and I could also see the word “games”. But when I played that, it didn't turn blue (or yellow), so I discarded it.
It was only when I saw TWISTER, also by accident, that I realized what the concept was and found PARTYGAMES again. Creating CARADAS was easy, but the others required a certain amount of trial and error before I could find them all.
As was your day? Send me an email and let me know.
Answers from yesterday's NYT Strands (Wednesday, May 22, Game #80)
- BASIL
- SAGE
- THYME
- PARSLEY
- ROSEMARY
- CILANTRO
- SPANGRAM: HERB GARDEN
What is NYT Strands?
Strands is the NYT's new word game, after Wordle and Connections. It is currently in Beta and can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
I have a complete guide on how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check it out if you're struggling to beat it every day.
