Looking for a different day?
A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing ‘today's game' while others are playing ‘yesterday's'. If you're looking for Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Sunday, August 3 (game #518).
Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.
Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.
NYT Strands today (game #519) – hint #1 – today's theme
What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?
• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Cutting it close
NYT Strands today (game #519) – hint #2 – clue words
Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
- SLICE
- SPORT
- STRIP
- VEST
- PRICE
- FARE
NYT Strands today (game #519) – hint #3 – spangram letters
How many letters are in today's spangram?
• Spangram has 10 letters
NYT Strands today (game #519) – hint #4 – spangram position
What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?
First side: top, 4th column
Last side: bottom, 4th column
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Strands today (game #519) – the answers
The answers to today's Strands, game #519, are…
- RAZOR
- CAPE
- CLIPPERS
- COMB
- TRIMMER
- AFTERSHAVE
- SPANGRAM: BARBERSHOP
- My rating: Easy
- My score: Perfect
The letter Z gave today’s search an obvious starting point, with RAZOR immediately eliminating any mystery about the theme. Unless, like me, you saw the non-game word “slice” first.
I only learned recently that the origins of the traditional BARBERSHOP pole stem from the days when barbers also performed surgeries alongside their regular activities – a one-stop shop where you could have a leg amputated, your teeth pulled and a quick trim – with the red symbolizing blood and the blue veins.
Thankfully, these days barbers have narrowed down their offerings to those that can be performed using SCISSORS, CLIPPERS and a TRIMMER. If you see a saw on the counter I'd suggest you make a swift exit.
Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Sunday, August 3, game #518)
- MUFF
- WHIFF
- ERROR
- FAULT
- FUMBLE
- BOBBLE
- BLOOPER
- SPANGRAM: SPORTS GOOF
What is NYT Strands?
Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.
