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 #206) – hint #1 – today’s theme

What is the theme of today’s NYT Strands?

Today’s NYT Strands theme is… Claim your steak

NYT Strands today (game #206) – hint #2 – clue words

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

  • SCRIBE
  • LEAF
  • RUNE
  • FAIR
  • SICK
  • BITE

NYT Strands today (game #206) – hint #3 – spangram

What is a hint for today’s spangram?

Have a cow, man

NYT Strands today (game #206) – hint #4 – spangram position

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

First: right, 3rd 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 #206) – the answers

NYT Strands answers for game 206 on a blue background

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today’s Strands, game #206, are…

  • ROUND
  • BRISKET
  • FLANK
  • SIRLOIN
  • SHANK
  • CHUCK
  • RIBEYE
  • SPANGRAM: BEEFCUTS

  • My rating: Easy
  • My score: Perfect

I’m a vegetarian these days, but in my meat-eating days a good steak was among my greatest culinary pleasures. But maybe I’m not that much of an expert even so, because I’d never heard of ROUND in this context. That was a slightly unfortunate fact, given that it was the first answer I found today – but didn’t do much to clarify what it was I was looking for.

Fortunately I came up with BRISKET not long afterwards, and that I had heard of. All that was needed after that was to find the other words, including the spangram of BEEFCUTS, and I was able to dig in and finish this meaty puzzle.

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


Yesterday’s NYT Strands answers (Tuesday 24 September, game #205)

  • MARTIAN
  • CYBORG
  • DROID
  • MUTANT
  • ROBOT
  • ALIEN
  • SPANGRAM: SCIENCEFICTION

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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