If you’re on the hunt for hints and answers for the Strands puzzle dated April 28, 2025, you’ve come to the right spot! This edition revolves around the theme “My Bad!” and here, you’ll find useful clues, tips, and ultimately the solution.

To ensure convenient access to our daily Strands hints, consider bookmarking this page. Previous hints are also available here, in case you’re curious about solutions from past puzzles.

Below, you’ll encounter some subtle hints for today’s Strands answers, with the complete spangram and solutions further down. Take your time and only extract the hints you require!

Spangram Hint for Today’s Puzzle

A classic two-word expression, similar to “my bad!” typically spoken when one makes a slight yet awkward blunder.

Thematic Word Hint for Today’s Puzzle

Look for words signifying “error” or “mistake,” encapsulating the essence of everyday faux pas.

Warning: Spoilers Ahead!

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

Today’s Spangram

The spangram is WHOOPSIEDAISY.

Today’s Thematic Words

The identified theme words include: BLUNDER, STUMBLE, FALTER, SLIP, SPILL, and TOPPLE.

Here’s how the completed board looks:

Solving Today’s Strands

Today’s puzzle seems to focus on blunders and mistakes.

The words WHOOPS and WHOOPSIES appear, although neither is part of the thematic words. They could contribute to the spangram.

SPILL can be spotted at the bottom right corner. This might suggest we’re dealing with minor errors.

STEAL doesn’t fit within the theme.

SLIP is located in the third row from the bottom—this is a match!

TOPPLE sits just below SLIP.

I’ve located the spangram: WHOOPSIEDAISY. (This is a common expression used when someone realizes they’ve made an error. It’s interesting to ponder what the “daisy” adds to this phrase.)

STUMBLE appears directly above the spangram’s center.

FALTER is found in the upper right corner.

Finally, we have BLUNDER.

Strands #421
“My bad!”

Guidelines for Playing Strands

The Strands game can be accessed on the New York Times website and is available via the NYT Games app.

The gameplay begins with a board filled with letters, alongside a clue hinting at the puzzle’s theme—often in the form of a phrase like “Better with age.” The objective is to identify hidden words reflecting the theme.

A Cross Between Crossword and Word Search

The key to this puzzle is the “spangram,” which explicitly represents the theme. For instance, in a puzzle themed “Better with age,” the spangram would be FERMENTED—words that gain quality over time. The spangram extends across the entire board, either horizontally or vertically. Once found, it will be highlighted in yellow and typically simplifies the remaining puzzle.

In Strands, words can be arranged in any direction (up, down, left, right, or diagonally) and each letter may only be used once. There’s only one valid solution per puzzle. Identifying a word correctly will highlight it in blue.

If you encounter difficulty, you can submit any non-theme words that are at least four letters long to earn a hint. Submitting three such words allows you to access a “Hint” button, which reveals the letters of one theme word. However, these letters still need to be arranged correctly to form the intended word. If there is already a hint displayed, using another will disclose the letter arrangement of that word.

Winning at Strands

Unlike games like Connections and Wordle, Strands cannot be failed. Submissions can either reveal a correct answer, contribute towards a hint, or trigger a shake for invalid or too-short words. There’s no limit on guesses, nor is there any timed restriction.

You achieve victory by successfully using all letters on the board, meaning you must find both the spangram and all associated theme words. Upon completing the puzzle, a shareable card displays your performance: blue dots () represent the theme words found, the yellow dot () signifies when the spangram was located, and a lightbulb () indicates words that received hints.