NYT Strands, the newest puzzle from The New York Times, offers a daily dose of word-based challenges. Players are tasked with finding hidden words within a grid, all centered around a specific theme. The game includes a Spangram, a word that intersects opposite sides of the board, revealing clues about the overall theme.
The New York Times first published a crossword puzzle on February 15, 1942, in its Sunday Magazine, created by Charles Erlenkotter and edited by Margaret Farrar. This marked a significant moment, as it was one of the first major newspapers to adopt such puzzles. The NYT has expanded its game offerings over the years, adding games like the Mini Crossword in 2014, Spelling Bee, Letter Boxed, and Tiles. In 2022, the NYT introduced Wordle, which quickly gained widespread popularity, and followed it with Connections and Strands.
Stuck on today’s NYT Strands puzzle? This guide provides helpful hints and solutions for the August 26, 2025, challenge.
**Theme:** ‘Bee friendly’
**Hints:**
**Spangram Hint:** A tiny reproductive cell of fungi, ferns, or mosses that can grow into a new organism.
**Word Hints:**
1. A simple white-petalled flower with a yellow centre.
2. A bright orange or yellow flower often used in festivals and decorations.
**Answers:**
* DAISY
* MARIGOLD
* PRIMROSE
* BLUEBELL
* CHAMOMILE
**Spangram:** ‘WildFlower’
Strands combines the gameplay of Connections, Spelling Bee, and classic crossword puzzles. Each day, players receive a 6×8 grid with 48 letters and a specific theme. The goal is to find the Spangram and all the words associated with the theme.
To play, users connect letters on the grid, forming words by dragging a mouse or using a touchscreen. Connections can be horizontal, vertical, or diagonal.
The Spangram is the central clue, providing context for the theme of the puzzle.
In addition to finding the Spangram, players must also locate other theme-related words to solve the puzzle.
**Tips for Solving:**
* Focus on the theme words, filling the table with correct answers. These words will be highlighted in blue once identified and will not overlap.
* Find the Spangram, which spans the grid, summarizing the topic, and can be two words. The Spangram is highlighted in yellow when found.
* Utilize hints by identifying off-topic words as a guide. Each time three non-theme words are revealed, a clue is provided to find a themed word without directly revealing the word.