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 #248) – hint #1 – today’s theme

What is the theme of today’s NYT Strands?

Today’s NYT Strands theme is… Strumming right along …

NYT Strands today (game #248) – hint #2 – clue words

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

  • BLOAT
  • GLEN
  • THIS
  • GLINT
  • RISK
  • LION

NYT Strands today (game #248) – hint #3 – spangram

What is a hint for today’s spangram?

Finger-pickin’ good

NYT Strands today (game #248) – hint #4 – spangram position

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

First: left, 5th row

Last: right, 3rd row

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

NYT Strands today (game #248) – the answers

NYT Strands answers for game 248 on a blue background

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today’s Strands, game #248, are…

  • GUITAR
  • VIOLIN
  • BANJO
  • MANDOLIN
  • UKULELE
  • SITAR
  • HARP
  • SPANGRAM: STRINGY

  • My rating: Easy
  • My score: Perfect

One of my many regrets in life is that I never learned to play a musical instrument. If I had, it would definitely have been a guitar. I suppose it’s not too late for me to change that, but for now I’ll have to content myself with solving a Strands game about stringed instruments – or, as the spangram would have it, STRINGY. I didn’t much like that as a spangram, but that aside this is a reasonable game, with several easy answers (GUITAR, VIOLIN) and a few that are possibly less common, depending on where in the world you are and what type of music you listen to (SITAR, HARP, UKULELE). I solved it without needing any hints, which is a far cry from yesterday’s near-disastrous game – though Strands is typically so easy that I can’t really imagine ever failing a game entirely.

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


Yesterday’s NYT Strands answers (Tuesday, 5 November, game #247)

  • BAND
  • CHOIR
  • DRAMA
  • DEBATE
  • YEARBOOK
  • ORCHESTRA
  • SPANGRAM: AFTERSCHOOL

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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