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 Wordle today, NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don’t read on if you don’t want to know the answers.

Your Strands expert

Marc McLaren
Your Strands expert

Marc McLaren

NYT Strands today (game #188) – hint #1 – today’s theme

What is the theme of today’s NYT Strands?

Today’s NYT Strands theme is… Know your material

NYT Strands today (game #188) – hint #2 – clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

  • MUSIC
  • SLIM
  • FAIL
  • DINE
  • DINER
  • DINES

NYT Strands today (game #188) – hint #3 – spangram

What is a hint for today’s spangram?

What are you wearing?

NYT Strands today (game #188) – hint #4 – spangram position

What are two sides of the board that today’s spangram touches?

First: right, 4th row

Last: left, 4th row

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #188) – the answers

NYT Strands answers for game 188 on a blue background

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today’s Strands, game #188, are…

  • DENIM
  • CHIFFON
  • VELVET
  • SATIN
  • SPANDEX
  • JERSEY
  • MUSLIN
  • SPANGRAM: FABRIC

  • My rating: Moderate
  • My score: 1 hint

I’m a simple kind of guy. I wear denim on my bottom half, cotton (or more likely polyester) on my top. And that’s that. SPANDEX? VELVET? CHIFFON? Nope, nope and nope again. I have heard of them all, however, which is why I was able to solve today’s Strands puzzle, albeit with one hint along the way.

The problem today was that lots of these words are unusually spelled: SPANDEX has that X in it, VELVET has two Vs, CHIFFON two Fs… it’s not like they will have stood out unless you knew what you were looking for. As a distinctly unfashionable type, I didn’t really, so this one took me a fair old time to solve it.

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.


Yesterday’s NYT Strands answers (Friday 6 September, game #187)

  • PORRIDGE
  • BEDS
  • CHAIRS
  • MAMA
  • BABY
  • PAPA
  • HARD
  • SOFT
  • SPANGRAM: THREEBEARS

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT’s new word game, following Wordle and Connections. It’s now out of beta so is a fully fledged member of the NYT’s games stable 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.

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