NYT Strands today: Check theme, hints, and Spangram for February 18, 2025

NYT Strands

Stumped by today’s Strands puzzle? No worries! The New York Times' word search game can be tricky, but once you get into the groove, it’s super satisfying. If today’s theme—"Ouch!"—has you scratching your head, we’ve got some hints to help you out. And if you just want to skip ahead to the answers, we won’t judge!

Today's puzzle (Strands #352) revolves around things that can make you say ouch! That could mean a lot of things—bumps, burns, or even bad puns—but in this case, it's all about creatures that can sting. Need a little nudge? Here are some words that might help trigger clue tokens:

SELFISH

BUMPS

SALTY

SCORER

CORNET

BEEPS

SIGN

SHINS

Still feeling lost? The spangram (a special word that ties all the answers together) starts and ends with "S." Think about what delivers a painful sting.

The Big Reveal: Today’s Strands Answer

If you're ready for the solution, here it is: the spangram is STINGERS! And the words hidden in today’s grid?

SCORPION

JELLYFISH

HORNET

BUMBLEBEE

PLATYPUS

How This Puzzle Unfolded

Once you spot SCORPION in the top-left corner, the puzzle starts to come together. Right next to it is JELLYFISH, another painful creature. From there, HORNET practically jumps out, and all those "B" and "E" letters in the lower half hint at BUMBLEBEE. Finally, PLATYPUS rounds it all out—a surprising pick, but yes, this cute Aussie creature has venomous spurs!

Keep Playing!

Strands is a fun way to test your vocabulary and pattern recognition skills, and each day brings a new challenge. Whether you solved today’s puzzle in a flash or needed a little help, the important thing is to have fun. Come back tomorrow for another wordy adventure!