The New York Times’ NYT Strands game continues to captivate puzzle enthusiasts. This daily puzzle presents a fresh theme each day, challenging players to discover hidden words within a grid, including a Spangram that connects opposite sides, offering insight into the overarching topic.
The New York Times introduced its first crossword puzzle on February 15, 1942, within the Sunday Magazine. This puzzle was created by Charles Erlenkotter and edited by Margaret Farrar, establishing the publication as a pioneer in this format. The NYT has expanded its offerings over the years, launching games such as the Mini Crossword in 2014, Spelling Bee, Letter Boxed, and Tiles. The popular Wordle was released in 2022, followed by Connections and Strands.
Need help solving today’s NYT Strands? This guide provides the hints, answers, and Spangram for the August 26, 2025, puzzle.
**Theme:** ‘Bee friendly’
**Hints:**
**Spangram Hint:** A tiny reproductive cell of fungi, ferns, or mosses that can grow into a new organism.
**Word Hints:**
1. A simple white-petalled flower with a yellow centre.
2. A bright orange or yellow flower often used in festivals and decorations.
**Answers:**
* DAISY
* MARIGOLD
* PRIMROSE
* BLUEBELL
* CHAMOMILE
**Spangram:** ‘WildFlower’
Strands blends elements of Connections, Spelling Bee, and traditional crossword puzzles. Players are presented with a 6 x 8 inch board that contains 48 letters and a new theme each day. The aim is to solve the Spangram and find all the related theme words.
Gameplay involves connecting letters on the grid to create words, which is done by using a mouse or the touch screen on a device. Words can be formed horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.
The Spangram is the core word of the puzzle, providing context for the theme.
Besides identifying the Spangram, players also need to locate other themed words within the puzzle.
**Solving Strategies:**
* Find the theme words by correctly filling the table with theme answers. These will be in blue once you find them, and they won’t overlap.
* Discover the Spangram. It’s the key to the puzzle, touching two opposite sides of the board, providing a summary of the topic and can include two words. It is highlighted in yellow once discovered.
* Use hints. Find words that aren’t related to the theme to help you. Every time you find 3 non-theme words, a clue appears, helping you find a theme word without having it shown directly.