For puzzle enthusiasts seeking hints and solutions for the Strands game dated March 9, 2025, you’re in the right place! The current theme revolves around the concept of “Kitty Corner,” and exciting insights await.

To keep returning for daily hints, consider bookmarking this page. Here, you can also access previous clues to catch up on any puzzles you may have missed.

As you read along, some subtle hints regarding today’s Strands answers will be provided. For those who want to swiftly find solutions, the spangram and answers will be disclosed further down. Take your time and extract just the clues you need!

Clue for the Spangram

This comprises two words that define the playful antics of felines — both charming and mischievous. Those who profess to train cats would likely label themselves as experts in this field.

Theme Words Hints

The words in question are specific verbs that connect with cats and their behaviors.

WARNING: Spoilers Ahead!

Proceed with caution as the answers for today’s Strands puzzle are about to be revealed.

Spangram for Today

The spangram for this round is CATBEHAVIOR.

Theme Words for Today

The theme words include: SNUGGLE, PURR, SWAT, HISS, STRETCH, BLINK, and POUNCE.

Here is a glimpse of the completed puzzle board:

Approach to Today’s Puzzle

This edition might highlight various cat breeds or significant felines from popular culture; time will tell.

Initially, a hint towards the phrase CAT BREED was considered, but it didn’t materialize as expected.

A search for the term CATCH or GUNS reveals they are not the intended theme words.

Efforts to locate WHISKER in the lower left corner yielded unsatisfactory results.

Interestingly, SWAT emerged as a theme word! 🔵 This led to the realization that perhaps common feline actions were on display.

Ultimately, what previously seemed to hint at CAT BREED converted to CAT…. ah, there it is—BEHAVIOR. 🟡

HISS was situated in the bottom left corner. 🔵

PURR was found above SWAT. 🔵

SNUGGLE appeared in the upper left section. 🔵 (So adorable.)

POUNCE concluded the bottom right area. 🔵

Though RETCH was mistakenly thought to be part of the theme (thankfully it isn’t), STRETCH proved to be correct. 🔵

Finally, BLINK was confirmed as a theme word. 🔵

Strands #371
“Kitty corner”
🔵🟡🔵🔵
🔵🔵🔵🔵

Playing Strands

The Strands game is accessible via the New York Times website and their NYT Games app.

Upon beginning, a game board greets you, featuring various letters alongside a clue that hints at the board’s theme—often a phrase like “Better with age.” It’s your challenge to discover hidden words that relate to this theme.

A Blend of Crossword and Word Search

The primary word to identify is the “spangram,” a clear indicator of the puzzle’s theme. For instance, the spangram related to “Better with age” is FERMENTED. This word will extend across the entire board either horizontally or vertically. When highlighted in yellow, its discovery typically simplifies the remaining puzzle considerably.

In Strands, words can flow in any direction—horizontally, vertically, or diagonally—and each letter is used only once. Each puzzle has one definitive solution. When a word is successfully identified, such as KOMBUCHA or KIMCHI, it will be marked in blue.

If challenges arise in solving, submitting any non-theme words with four letters or more permits earning a hint. Accumulating three non-theme words enables the “Hint” option, where clicking will highlight letters in one of the theme words. It remains essential to connect these letters in the correct sequence to form the desired word. If there is already a hint on the board and an additional hint is used prior to solving for that word, the order of that word’s letters will be revealed.

Winning at Strands

Unlike some other word games, Strands does not impose failure. When guesses are made, you either identify an answer correctly, gain credit for hints, or a visual shake signals that the submission is invalid due to being too short or simply incorrect. There are no limits on guesses or time constraints.

Victory is achieved once all letters are adequately used, meaning both the spangram and all theme words have been successfully identified. Upon completion, a shareable card appears displaying your performance: blue dots 🔵 represent words discovered, a yellow dot 🟡 marks the spangram, and a lightbulb 💡 indicates words with hints received.