A new NYT Strands puzzle is released at midnight each day, meaning players across different time zones may be tackling yesterday's or today's game. If you're seeking hints for Sunday’s puzzle, you can find them here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Sunday, January 18 (game #686).
Strands is the latest word game from the NYT, following popular titles like Wordle, Spelling Bee, and Connections. While it's entertaining, it can also be challenging, so here are some hints to help you out.
For more wordplay, check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for additional hints and answers, as well as Marc's Wordle today page for the original game.
SPOILER WARNING: The answers for today's NYT Strands are provided below, so proceed with caution if you wish to avoid spoilers.
NYT Strands today (game #687) - hint #1 - today's theme
What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?
• Today's theme is… Shaking things up
NYT Strands today (game #687) - hint #2 - clue words
Use any of the following words to unlock in-game hints:
- STROBE
- BELT
- VASE
- BREAK
- CRAVE
- QUOTE
NYT Strands today (game #687) - hint #3 - spangram letters
How many letters are in today's spangram?
• The spangram consists of 8 letters
NYT Strands today (game #687) - hint #4 - spangram position
What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?
First side: top, 1st column
Last side: bottom, 3rd column
Now, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Strands today (game #687) - the answers
The answers for today's Strands, game #687, are:
- VIBRATE
- QUAKE
- WOBBLE
- SWAY
- TREMBLE
- WAVER
- TEETER
- SPANGRAM: LETSROCK
- My rating: Easy
- My score: Perfect
I managed to identify the spangram early, which led me to the word VIBRATE and helped me understand the types of words I was looking for. The letter Q made it easier to piece together QUAKE, unlocking the rest of the board, but there were also plenty of visible non-game words if I needed a hint.
The word WOBBLE always brings a smile, reminding me of a vintage 1970s toy advertisement that claimed, “weebles wobble, but they don’t fall down.”
Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Sunday, January 18, game #686)
- QUILT
- WEAVE
- CROCHET
- KNIT
- EMBROIDER
- APPLIQUE
- SPANGRAM: TEXTILEART
What is NYT Strands?
Strands is the NYT's word game that has gained popularity alongside Wordle and Connections. It has been a part of the NYT's games lineup for a year and can be played on the NYT Games site on both desktop and mobile. For tips on how to play, check out my guide to NYT Strands.