For an effortless way to revisit our Strands hints daily, bookmark this page. Past hints are available there as well, should you wish to catch up on previous puzzles.

What follows are indirect clues concerning today’s Strands solutions. Scroll down at your own pace, taking only the hints you require!

Clue for the Spangram in Today’s Puzzle

These are the tools commonly used by golfers to strike a ball.

Clue for the Theme Words in Today’s Strands

Different types of these tools that a caddy might carry.

WARNING: Spoilers Ahead for Today’s Strands Puzzle!

The answers for today’s Strands puzzle are about to be disclosed.

What is the Spangram in Today’s Strands?

The spangram for today is GOLFCLUBS.

What are the Theme Words in Today’s Strands?

The theme words for today include: DRIVER, WOOD, PUTTER, IRON, WEDGE, CHIPPER, UTILITY.

Here’s a look at the completed puzzle:

Credit: Strands/NYT

Strategy for Solving Today’s Strands

The term “Fore!” instantly brings to mind the sport of golf. This phrase may indeed be shouted prior to swinging at the ball. It can also serve as the starting point for numerous words, such as “foreground” and “foreshadowing.”

Anticipating a golf-related theme, the term “golf” likely makes an appearance in the spangram. Indeed, it does—notably as GOLFCLUBS. 🟡

PUTTER resides in the lower-left area. 🔵

DRIVER is located in the upper-left region. 🔵

WOOD occupies the space between the above two words along the left side. 🔵

WEDGE forms a distinct L-shape in the upper right. 🔵

IRON sits directly above WEDGE. 🔵

CHIPPER appears beneath WEDGE. 🔵 (While unfamiliar with the names of various golf clubs, the pattern of “golfy” words seems to emerge seamlessly.)

Lastly, UTILITY is present. 🔵

Strands #409
“Fore!”
🟡🔵🔵🔵
🔵🔵🔵🔵

Guide to Playing Strands

You can enjoy Strands via the New York Times website or the NYT Games app.

At the start of the game, a board filled with various letters is presented, accompanied by a clue hinting at the theme, which often appears as a phrase, such as “Better with age.” Your task is to uncover words within the board that align with this puzzle theme.

Combining a Crossword and a Word Search

The key term to find is the “spangram,” which demonstrably reflects the puzzle’s theme. For instance, in the case of the theme “Better with age,” the spangram might be FERMENTED, linked to items that improve as time passes. The spangram stretches across the entire board, either horizontally or vertically. Recognizing the spangram, marked in yellow, often simplifies the rest of the puzzle.

In Strands, words can be oriented in multiple directions (up, down, left, right, and diagonally), with each letter utilized only once. A single correct solution exists. When a word is accurately identified—like KOMBUCHA, MISO, or KIMCHI—it will be highlighted in blue.

If the puzzle proves difficult, you have the option to submit any four-letter-or-more non-theme words to earn a single hint. Submitting three such words enables the “Hint” button, which, when clicked, highlights letters from one of the theme words. However, the letters must still be linked properly to form a complete theme word. If an existing hint is present and another hint is used after, the order of that word’s letters will be disclosed.

Winning Strands

Unlike other games such as Connections and Wordle, Strands cannot be lost. Submissions will either confirm a correct answer, provide credit towards a hint, or show a shake animation indicating an invalid or too-short word. There is no limit on guesses or time constraints.

You achieve victory once all the board’s letters are utilized, meaning the spangram and all theme words have been identified. As with other NYT games, upon completing the puzzle, a shareable card displays your performance: blue dots 🔵 represent theme words found, a yellow dot 🟡 signifies finding the spangram, and a lightbulb 💡 indicates words for which hints were requested.