The July 23 NYT Strands puzzle explores the theme of shared dips and snacks at social gatherings
The spangram PARTYDIPS anchors flavorful words like SALSA, QUESO, HUMMUS, and FONDUE
A warm, communal puzzle evoking parties, flavor, and nostalgia—not a race, but a memory
Wednesday doesn’t shout; it stretches under July’s vibrant sunshine. It’s neither a start nor an end, just a long-held breath in between. The New York Times crossword puzzle today doesn’t spin or pop; instead, it relaxes in the afterglow of celebrations, surrounded by crumpled napkins, echoing laughter, and bowls still half-full. Today’s puzzle focuses on condiments and combinations with the theme: "Chips In”.
For the new to our community:
An 8x6 grid. Still, as a snack table before the guests arrive.
Theme words materialize in blue.
The golden spangram curls across the grid like a passing hand grasping for one final taste.
No repeating letters.
No do-overs.
Discover three genuine, non-theme words, and the puzzle whispers ahead, a gentle suggestion, not an instruction.
This is not a dash. It’s a nosh.
A collection of flavors, waiting to be identified.
PARTYDIPS – Not food, but ritual. Not the dip, but the moment, bowls huddled on a countertop, chips in hand, conversations ignited by flavor. It’s not what we eat, it’s why we’re here.
SALSA – Heat and tang. The first choice. The reliable standard.
QUESO – Melty gold. Rich, decadent, a slow flow over sharp edges.
GUACAMOLE – Mashed green with lime juice. Cool, comfort.
TZATZIKI – A Greek exhale. Yogurt, cucumber, clarity.
HUMMUS – Earthy swirl. Chickpeas and olive oil, a quiet weight.
FONDUE – Not a dip. A commitment. A plunge. A date with the past.
PAPER – The plate, the napkin, the moment after. Disposable, but present. A witness to it all.
At first sight, the theme is deceptive. Chips In? One thinks: bets, stakes. But NYT Strands answers does not take risks. It collects and then it opens.
SALSA, QUESO, GUACAMOLE, the comfort group. Then the surprise visitors: TZATZIKI, HUMMUS, FONDUE. Not chip friends, per se. But they rest well in the same circle. Bowls on a table. Spreads at a party. Shared, not fought over.
PAPER sneaks in, less of taste, more of presence. But it fits. What else holds these dips? What else brings the bite to a close?
And over it all, PARTYDIPS moves like a memory, yellow and full of laughter.