Today's New York Times Strands Pointers (and Solution) for Tuesday, August 20, 2024 (paraphrased)
If you're seeking solutions and hints for Strands for Tuesday, August 20, 2024, have a look below–I'll share some clues and tips, followed by the puzzle's resolution with the theme "We've got this covered."
For a hassle-free access to our daily Strands hints, save this page to your bookmarks. You can also check out our archive of past hints here, in case you missed a previous challenge.
Below, you'll find cryptic hints for the Strands answers of the day. Scroll gradually for only the hints you need!
Spoiler alert: Here are the hints for the Strands answers of today.
Hint for the spangram in today's Strands puzzle
On a gloomy, overcast day, this waterproof item might be handy to bring along.
Hint for the theme words in today's Strands puzzle
Common fabric items and accessories in the above category enable you to stay dry.
Warning: Strands answers spoilers ahead
Below, we'll reveal the answers to today's Strands puzzle.
What is the spangram in today's Strands?
Today's spangram is RAINGEAR.
What are the theme words in today's Strands?
The theme words are: UMBRELLA, HOOD, Slicker, PONCHO, GALOSHES, GAITERS.
The following is the completed puzzle when it's solved:
Credit: Strands/NYT## Solving today's Strands puzzle
I could spot two potential routes for this puzzle's theme: bed linens (sheets, duvets, etc.) or covered shelters (gazebos, tents, etc.). Let's explore!
I find SILK, but it isn't a theme word. SILKROAD isn't either, which I personally find quite rude.
I'm locating multiple non-theme words, such as STEEL, RICE, CHAR, RASH, SHEET, PAIN, and REAL, but no theme words yet. My two theories for the puzzle theme seem to be no-gos. Let me think more about the meaning. Items that cover other items, like wallpaper? Cover songs?
Credit: Strands/NYT
Ah, there's UMBRELLA across the top, and that's a hit! 🔵 Starting to make progress now.
There's PONCHO in the bottom left. 🔵 Yay, keeping it going. I believe we've got it now. Took quite a while to realize that.
There's SLICKER below UMBRELLA. 🔵
I can see the spangram now: RAINGEAR. 🟡
HOOD completes the top half. 🔵
GALOSHES fill the bottom spangram. 🔵
Lastly, GAITERS. 🔵
Playing Strands
You can play Strands on the New York Times website and in the NYT Games app.
When you begin playing, you'll see a gameboard with various letters, accompanied by a hint that reveals the puzzle's theme–a phrase, such as "Incredibly flexible." Your objective is to find the hidden words within the gameboard that refer to the puzzle's theme.
Strands explained
The most crucial word to find is the "spangram," a word that elaborates on the puzzle's topic. (For instance, the spangram for a puzzle with the theme "Incredibly flexible" is RUBBERBAND, which describes items that, ya know, are incredibly flexible.) The spangram will extend across the entire gameboard, either horizontally or vertically (hence the name). When you uncover the spangram, it will be highlighted in yellow. Finding the spangram makes the rest of the puzzle much easier to solve.
In Strands, words can move in any direction (up, down, left, right, and diagonally), and you will only utilize each letter once. There is only one correct solution. When you correctly identify one of the puzzle's words (such as "TEACUP," "SKIRES," or "OLYMPIA"), it will be highlighted in blue.
If you're struggling with the puzzle, you can submit any non-theme words you find (as long as they are four letters or more) to earn credit toward a hint. If you submit three non-theme words, the "Hint" button will become clickable; if you press it, all of the letters in one of the theme words will be highlighted for you. You'll still need to connect these highlighted letters in the correct order to create one of the theme words. If a hint is already present on the board, and you use another hint before uncovering that word, that word's letter order will be revealed.
Winning at Strands
Unlike Connections and Wordle, you cannot fail at Strands. When you submit guesses, you'll either uncover an answer, receive credit for a hint, or the board will shake, indicating that the phrase you submitted is wrong or too short. There's no limit on guesses, and time is not a concern.
You triumph when you've successfully utilized every letter on the board, which translates to recognizing the jumble and all the thematic words. Similar to other NYT challenges, upon solving the riddle, you'll be presented with a shareable card that showcases your performance for the day. Blue dots 🔵 symbolize theme words discovered, the radiant yellow dot 🟡 signifies the moment you uncovered the jumble, and a bright lightbulb 💡 denotes words that received a clue.
After finding the spangram RAINGEAR, you might want to consider other entertainment options to enjoy during a rainy day. Save this page for future Strands hints and check out the archive for past puzzles.
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