Looking for the most recent NYT Strands puzzle answers? CNET publishes daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.
How to Play
Strands functions similarly to a traditional word search puzzle, but without a provided word list. Players can form any valid words of four or more letters to earn hints. For every three auxiliary words discovered, the game automatically highlights one of the official theme answers, which must then be unscrambled.
I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story.
The theme for today's puzzle leans toward healthcare and medical terminology. Below are the hints, clue words, and full solutions.
Hint for today’s Strands puzzle
Today’s Strands theme is: Have a heart.
A helpful clue to keep in mind is that it beats.
Clue Words and Solutions
To reveal theme words automatically, find any valid words of four letters or more on the board. The following words can be used to trigger in-game hints, though any qualifying words will work:
DINT, RAID, RAIDER, RARE, RULE, LOBE, CARP, CASE, DIARY, DAIRY, CAVE
Answers for today’s Strands puzzle
The objective is to uncover all theme-related answers alongside the spangram, which spans entirely across the board. Once all words are found, every letter on the grid will be utilized. The non-spangram answers include:
VEIN, BLOOD, PULSE, ARTERY, ATRIUM, PRESSURE
Today’s Strands spangram
The spangram for today is CARDIOVASCULAR. To locate it, begin with the letter C situated five letters down on the far-left row and wind across the board.
Notable Difficulties
Certain past Strands themes have proven particularly challenging for players due to niche vocabulary:
Dated slang, featuring challenging words like PHAT.
Marine biology terminology, featuring challenging words like BALEEN or RIGHT.
Deep-sea fishing topics, featuring challenging words like BIGEYE or SKIPJACK.
