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Today’s Strands theme ‘Next to the bobby pins’ spotlights popular hair accessories.
The Spangram is a broad category of today’s theme, think of what you will buy for your hair.
From CLIPS to CLAWS, NYT Strands today is full of hair helpers.
NYT Strands for May 31, 2025, brings a stylish twist with its theme “Next to the bobby pins.” Today’s puzzle dips into your vanity drawer to uncover the many tools we use to tame, twist, and tie up our hair. Whether you're into scrunchies or clips, this one is bound to stir up beauty drawer nostalgia. And of course, the yellow-highlighted Spangram cleverly threads it all together.
Let’s untangle the hints, solve the Spangram, and identify each accessory in today’s word game challenge.
The key to solving Strands lies in spotting off-theme words to unlock hints. Simply find words with four or more letters to help guide you to the themed answers. The hints below will help nudge you in the right direction if you're stuck.
Items used to style, secure, or decorate hair.
Hint #1: A word that can mean a video snippet, a fast pace, or something that attaches.
Answer: CLIP
Hint #2: Worn around the forehead to hold hair back or absorb sweat.
Answer: HEADBAND
The Spangram that captures today’s theme is ‘HAIRACCESSORIES’
Starting from the left side of the board, the word stretches across to the right, just like a headband across your forehead. It reflects the theme perfectly, as every answer is a styling tool that holds, ties, or embellishes your hair.
Here are the full list of hair accessory-related words from today’s Strands puzzle:
CLIP – Versatile and essential, from butterfly clips to mini metal ones.
HEADBAND – From sporty to stylish, a staple for keeping stray strands in check.
SCRUNCHIE – The iconic fabric-covered hair tie from the ‘80s that’s made a big comeback.
BARRETTE – Decorative or practical, often clicked shut to hold hair in place.
CLAW – The claw clip is back, and it's here to keep messy buns stylishly secure.
Each of these words appears in blue when correctly selected, confirming they’re tied to the day’s central theme.
Look for Visual Clues: Words like CLIP or CLAW might appear diagonally or backward, don’t just scan in straight lines.
Use the Hint System: Finding three unrelated words will earn you a tile highlight, nudging you toward a theme word.
Check Both Sides: The Spangram stretches from one side of the board to the other; it’s always long and thematic.
Today’s NYT Strands puzzle wraps a neat little bow around everyday beauty tools. With ‘HAIRACCESSORIES’ as the Spangram, and functional items like HEADBAND and SCRUNCHIE filling the board, Strands #453 feels familiar yet cleverly crafted. It’s another reminder of how ordinary objects can make for extraordinary puzzle themes.
Come back tomorrow for more NYT Strands hints, Spangrams, and answers!
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