NYT Strands today: Check theme, hints, and Spangram for February 17, 2025

NYT Strands

If today’s NYT Strands puzzle has you scratching your head, you’re in the right place. We’ve got some handy hints to steer you in the right direction, plus the final answers if you need them. But if you want to solve it on your own, now’s the time to look away!

NYT Strands – February 17, 2025

Theme: Sun Shade

Clues for Today’s Strands Puzzle

Hint #1: Tart and citrusy

Hint #2: A tiny yellow bird

Hint #3: A bright wildflower

Hint #4: A common spicy condiment

Hint #5: A valuable golden spice

Hint #6: A spring flower with trumpet-like petals

Today’s Spangram

The special word connecting everything today is YELLOW.

Answers for Today’s Strands Puzzle

LEMON

CANARY

GOLDENROD

MUSTARD

SAFFRON

DAFFODIL

How to Play NYT Strands

Strands is a fun word puzzle that mixes elements from Connections, Spelling Bee, and classic crosswords. Players get a 6 x 8 grid with 48 letters and a daily theme. The goal? Find words that match the theme and figure out the Spangram—a key word that links two opposite sides of the grid.

Helpful Tips for Solving Strands

Look for theme words: The words related to the theme will turn blue once found.

Find the Spangram: This key word ties everything together and will be highlighted in yellow.

Use hints wisely: For every three non-theme words you discover, the game gives you a hint to help you find a theme-related word.

The NYT’s Puzzle Legacy

The New York Times has been a big name in the puzzle world ever since it published its first crossword puzzle on February 15, 1942. Created by Charles Erlenkotter and edited by Margaret Farrar, this crossword was a game-changer, making puzzles a must-have part of daily life. Over time, the NYT kept adding more brain-teasers, including the Mini Crossword (2014) and fan-favorites like Spelling Bee, Letter Boxed, and Tiles. In 2022, it made waves by acquiring Wordle, which quickly became a worldwide obsession. Building on that success, the NYT later introduced new games like Connections and Strands, drawing even more puzzle lovers.

The NYT keeps pushing the envelope with new puzzles, making sure there’s always a fresh challenge for puzzle lovers. Whether you're a crossword pro, a Wordle fan, or a Strands solver, there's always something to keep your brain engaged!