Strands is the newest addition to the New York Times' suite of word games following hits like Wordle, Spelling Bee, and Connections—it’s quite enjoyable. However, it can also be challenging at times, which is why I’ve put together some tips for playing Strands.
Looking for more linguistic entertainment? Then take a look at my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages with clues and solutions for those games, and Marc's Wordle today Page for the initial viral word game.
SPOILER ALERT: The details regarding NYT Strands for today are provided below, so proceed with caution if you wish to avoid knowing the solutions.
NYT Challenge for today (match 403) - clue #1 - the topic for today
What is the theme of today's New York Times crossword puzzle?
• The topic for today’s NYT Strands theme revolves around... What’s making all the noise?
NYT Strands today (game #403) - hint #2 - clue words
Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
- TIGER
- THEN
- SNUG
- DAME
- TEAM
- DATE
NYT Challenge for today (match 403) - clue number three - special scramble letters
How many letters does today's spangram contain?
• Spangram has 9 letters
NYT Strands today (game #403) - hint #4 - spangram position
What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?
First side: correct, 8th row
Final side: left, 8th row
Sure, the responses are provided below, so PLEASE AVOID SCROLLING DOWN IF YOU WISH TO REMAIN UNAWARE OF THE ANSWERS.
New York Times Puzzles for today (puzzle #403) - the solutions

The solutions for today's Strands, game number 403, are...
- WINGS
- THORAX
- TONGUE
- ABDOMEN
- STINGER
- ANTENNAE
- SPANGRAM: BUMBLE BEE
- My rating: Moderate
- My score: 1 hint
The initial terms I stumbled upon during my search today were "WINGS" and "THORAX," indicating that our focus was likely on insects, though I remained uncertain about specifics until solving the final anagram. This proved particularly relevant since we're now hitting the height of bumblebees' active season.
Certain bumblebees are incredibly active. Usually, they approach without hostility and do not sting people, as their focus lies solely on two activities: collecting nectar from blossoms and ending up stuck in window blinds.
If you happen to be stung by a bumblebee, it will definitely be done by a female because males, known as drone bees, lack any form of sting and can only be bothersome.
How was your day? Share your thoughts in the section below.
Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Wednesday, 9 April, game #402)
- WATERMELON
- ARUGULA
- AVOCADO
- CAULIFLOWER
- SPANGRAM: FOUR SYLLABLES
What is NYT Strands?
Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
I've got a full guide to h How to Play NYT Strands complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.
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