Today's New York Times Strand Unveils Clues (and Solution) for Tuesday, September 10, 2024 (paraphrased)
If you're seeking tips and solutions for Strands for September 10, 2024, continue reading—I'll share some hints, tips, and eventually, the puzzle's solution with the theme "Give it a go!"
For an effortless way to access our Strands hints daily, save this page. You can also revisit our past hints here if you missed a previous puzzle.
Below, I'll provide you with some subtle hints about today's Strands answers. Further down the page, I'll expose the spangram and the correct solutions. Take only the hints you require and proceed slowly!
Suggestion for the spangram in today's Strands puzzle
A two-word spangram that refers to an elegant type of movement, devoid of the electrical slide—no chance for it here—which typically necessitates pairs and fancy attire.
Suggestion for the theme words in today's Strands puzzle
Some examples of styles or moves you might witness on Dancing With the Stars.
WARNING: Spoilers for today's Strands puzzle ahead
We're about to reveal the responses to today's Strands puzzle!
What is the spangram in today's Strands?
Today's spangram is BALLROOMDANCE.
What are the theme words in today's Strands?
The theme words today are: FOXTROT, SALSA, RUMBA, QUICKSTEP, JIVE, WALTZ.
This is what the board appears like when the puzzle is solved:
Credit: Strands/NYT## How I solved today's Strands
A slightly more vague puzzle theme compared to usual, so I'm uncertain what to look for exactly. I spot the words EXTRA and EXTRAS at the bottom, but they're definitely non-theme words—probably components of the spangram or something else. I see a "QU" on the left side, but I'm uncertain about what word that connects with yet.
Ah, I see FOXTROT in the bottom left, and that's a hit. 🔵 That's a dance move, so it's likely all connected to dancing.
Credit: Strands/NYT
I notice the word DANCE, so that's probably part of the spangram. Yes, BALLROOMDANCE! 🟡
That creates a space in the middle for WALTZ. 🔵
SALSA sits in the bottom right corner. 🔵
The "QU" creates QUICKSTEP. 🔵
JIVE runs along the top of the puzzle. 🔵
Lastly, RUMBA. 🔵
How to play Strands
You can find the Strands game on the New York Times website and in the NYT Games app.
When you begin playing, you'll notice a game board with an array of letters, complemented by a clue that hints at the board's theme—this will usually take the shape of a phrase, like "Improves with age." Your objective is to find the concealed words within the board that construct the puzzle's theme.
A crossword crossed with a word search
The most crucial word to find is the "spangram," a word that more explicitly states the puzzle's theme. (For instance, the spangram for the puzzle with the theme "Improves with age" is FERMENTED, which describes items that, unsurprisingly, improve with age.) The spangram will span the entire game board, either from left to right or top to bottom (consequently, the name). Once you locate the spangram, it will be highlighted in yellow. Solving the spangram tends to make the rest of the puzzle significantly more straightforward.
In Strands, words can travel in any direction (up, down, left, right, and diagonal), and you will only utilize each letter once. There is only a single correct solution. When you successfully identify one of the puzzle's words (for example, KOMBUCHA, MISO, or KIMCHI), it will be highlighted in blue.
If you are struggling to solve the puzzle, you can submit any non-theme words you see (as long as they are four letters or more) to gain credit toward a single hint. If you submit three non-theme words, the "Hint" button will be clickable; if you click it, all of the letters in one of the theme words will be highlighted for you. You will still need to join these highlighted letters in the correct order to form one of the theme words. If there is already a hint on the board, and you utilize another hint before solving for that word, that word's letter order will be revealed.
How to win Strands
Unlike Connections and Wordle, you cannot fail Strands. When you submit guesses, you will either correctly identify an answer, obtain credit for a hint, or the text will shake, indicating that the word you submitted is too short or invalid. You can't exhaust your guesses, and there is no time constraint.
You win when you've correctly utilized all the letters on the board, meaning that you have identified the spangram and all of the theme words. Like other NYT games, upon solving the puzzle, you will notice a shareable card that illustrates your performance that day: blue dots 🔵 indicate theme words you've found, the yellow dot 🟡 indicates when you've discovered the spangram, and a lightbulb 💡 indicates words that you've been offered a hint for.
Credit: Strands/NYT
After discovering the spangram BALLROOMDANCE, you might be interested in watching some entertainment related to dance. Consider tuning into Strands nyt hint today for a dance-themed puzzle, featuring theme words like FOXTROT, SALSA, RUMBA, QUICKSTEP, JIVE, and WALTZ. If you miss today's round, don't fret; simply visit the New York Times archives to revisit past Strands hints and puzzles.