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The July 29 NYT Strands puzzle cuts through the noise with a theme rooted in diligence and detail.
With TAKING PAINS as the golden spangram, today’s puzzle brings together exacting words like PRECISE, EXACT, STRICT, and PERSNICKETY.
It’s a quiet tribute to the art of getting things right—letter by letter, step by step.
It’s the last Tuesday of the month. As the timer ticks on August’s arrival, NYT Strands today presents a different sort of countdown with today’s puzzle: a gradual, deliberate plunge into the language of measurement.
Under the clue suggestion ‘You Got That Right,’ the puzzle invites solvers into a world where precision isn’t a choice, it’s the whole idea. PRECISE, EXACT, and STRICT are just words that capture the discipline and attention to detail that inform every nook of today’s grid. It’s for the nitpickers, the sticklers, and anyone who’s ever felt pride in getting it exactly right.
Every Strands puzzle shows up on a 6x8 letter board. Your mission: reveal a group of theme-related words. Revealed words become blue, and one special word, the spangram, runs along at least two edges and shines gold, securing the whole puzzle.
You’ll need to find three unrelated words (at least four letters each) to unlock hints. The challenge blends spatial reasoning, pattern recognition, and sharp vocabulary, rewarding players who bring patience and precision to the game board.
TAKING PAINS – The golden-threaded phrase at the puzzle’s core, TAKING PAINS, captures the spirit of today’s grid: careful effort, uncompromising accuracy, and pride in getting the small things right.
PRECISE – Not near, but exact
STRICT – Strict guidelines, well-defined boundaries
ACCURATE – Loyal to truth
PERSNICKETY – Nitty-gritty, but for a good reason
EXACT – No room for error
As the clock runs down to month’s end and bank notifications are silent, today’s NYT Strands answers are an alternative kind of prize for the careful, the concentrated, the persistent. Each word is a wink to those interested in doing it right, even when nobody is looking.
The spangram TAKING PAINS is a reminder that accuracy isn’t perfectionism, but craftsmanship. Whether you solved it easily or circled the grid a dozen times, it’s time well spent.
