Today's NYT Strands puzzle is an easy one, in my opinion, but this is the kind of game where individual episodes will tax some people more than others. Knowledge of the subject in question makes a big difference, so if you're struggling a little then read on for some hints.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.
Marc is TechRadar’s Global Editor in Chief and has been obsessed with Wordle and its ilk for more than two years. He's authored dozens of articles on the game for TechRadar, including a daily today's Wordle answer column and a detailed analysis of the most common letters in Wordle in every position. He's also played every Wordle ever and only lost once and yes, he takes it all too seriously.
NYT Strands today (game #86) - hint #1 - today's theme
What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?
• Today's NYT Strands theme is… All atwitter
NYT Strands today (game #86) - hint #2 - clue words
What are some good clue words today?
Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
• BRILL
• PART
• CART
• WHET
• SHEER
• SLOW
NYT Strands today (game #86) - hint #3 - spangram
What is a hint for today's spangram?
• Dawn chorus
NYT Strands today (game #86) - hint #4 - spangram position
What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?
• First: left, 5th row
• Last: right, 5th row
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Strands today (game #86) - the answers
The answers to today's Strands, game #86, are…
- CLUCK
- TWEET
- CHIRP
- WARBLE
- TRILL
- SCREECH
- WHISTLE
- SPANGRAM: BIRDSONG
- My rating: Easy
- My score: Perfect
This is probably the easiest Strands puzzle we've had for a week or more. The theme clue was reasonably obvious – though I did initially wonder if it might be a reference to social media platforms, or online discourse. However, CLUCK was the very first word I found, and that immediately confirmed my stronger hunch that what I needed was words for the sounds that birds make.
None of the other answers were particularly hard to find, with the likes of TWEET and CHIRP standing out quickly. The task got easier still once I uncovered the spangram and gave the board some structure, and I solved it all with a minimum of fuss.
How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.
Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Monday 27 May, game #85)
- SHELL
- WHEEL
- BOWTIE
- TUBE
- SPIRAL
- RIBBON
- ELBOW
- SPANGRAM: PASTASHAPES
What is NYT Strands?
Strands is the NYT's new word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's currently in Beta and 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.
