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 Tuesday’s puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Tuesday, February 17 (game #716).
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.
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 #717) – hint #1 – today’s theme
What is the theme of today’s NYT Strands?
• Today’s NYT Strands theme is… Cold competition
NYT Strands today (game #717) – hint #2 – clue words
Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
- BROAD
- STOP
- SPOTS
- BRINE
- RING
- BIRD
NYT Strands today (game #717) – hint #3 – spangram letters
How many letters are in today’s spangram?
• Spangram has 12 letters
NYT Strands today (game #717) – hint #4 – spangram position
What are two sides of the board that today’s spangram touches?
First side: top, 1st column
Last side: bottom, 6th column
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Strands today (game #717) – the answers
The answers to today’s Strands, game #717, are…
- LUGE
- BOBSLED
- SNOWBOARDING
- HOCKEY
- CURLING
- SPANGRAM: WINTERSPORTS
- My rating: Easy
- My score: Perfect
The first thing that I thought of when I read the theme “cold competition” was the Winter Olympics, but the easily spotted spangram was actually WINTERSPORTS.
I have an ice phobia, due to slipping on a patch of black ice and breaking my leg a while back, but despite occasionally wincing over the crashes in the speed skating events, I am really enjoying the Winter Games.
The skeleton, which doesn’t feature here, is my favorite event — the bravery of hurling yourself down a sheet of ice dumbfounds me as do the minuscule movements that are the differences between medalists.
In terms of gameplay this was a relatively easy run, although I did labor over several creative spellings of LUGE (why did I think it contained an H) before finally getting it right.
Yesterday’s NYT Strands answers (Tuesday, February 17, game #716)
- HORSE
- SNAKE
- TIGER
- MONKEY
- RABBIT
- DRAGON
- GOAT
- SPANGRAM: ZODIACSIGNS
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.
