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Word riders, saddle up for today's challenge! Today's NYT Strands puzzle runs into the world of horse colors, leading gamers to discover the colors that make up a horse's coat. If you ever stood in awe of a majestic horse and wished you knew its unique coloring, today's puzzle is your time to learn some fancy horse terminology.
Today's Strands puzzle, ‘That's an Equine of a Different Shade!’ is a fun-filled journey through the colorful and multifaceted world of horse colors. The world of horses has a special jargon for describing the colors of these beautiful creatures unlike normal color terminology. Get ready to find words that reveal the beauty and uniqueness of these beautiful animals.
Stuck at the starting gate? Here are some tips to lead you to the winner's circle:
Think outside simple colors—horses have special names for their hues.
Hint 1: A spottled or speckled coat exuding the air of sophistication.
Hint 2: A reddish-brown hue that shines in sunlight.
Hint 3: Fawn in color, recalling desert shades with a black mane and tail.
Hint 4: Spotted coat with an uncharacteristic, mottled blend of colored and white hairs.
Hint 5: A striking cream or gold color glowing aggressively in sunlight.
Spangram Clue: The spangram is vertical in overall alignment and begins with ‘HO.’ It summarizes the theme of the puzzle and brings the words together.
The key to the challenge of today is ‘HORSECOLORINGS,’ running across the grid as a guide for the rest of the solutions. This term defines the theme of the puzzle, allowing you to recognize the rest of the colors that make horses different from other creatures. When you discover this word, the rest will begin to fall into place!
These are the distinct coat colors you were looking for:
DAPPLE – A mottled or speckled pattern, commonly found in gray horses.
BUCKSKIN – A golden or tan coat with a black mane and tail.
ROAN – A mixture of white and colored hairs that produces a striking effect.
CHESTNUT – A reddish-brown color, sometimes with lighter shades.
PALOMINO – A golden or cream-colored coat with a white mane and tail.
Unlike other animals, horses are more than just ‘brown’ or ‘gray.’ Instead, riders use specific terminology to describe specific colors and patterns. These terms reach deep back into horse breeding vernaculars used to describe genetics and bloodlines. For example:
Buckskin refers to a horse with a distinct color from one ‘cream’ gene on a bay coat.
Roans change their coloring with the effect of white hairs interspersed with the base color over the years.
Palomino is a color of kings and gods, referred to in legends as the horse of kings and gods.
Did you find today's NYT Strands a tiny bit breezy to ride? Still, for either an experienced horseback rider or a newbie just discovering the splendor of colors those very horses carry, there was totally charm in and much to learn from today's puzzle. Stay saddled up for tomorrow's puzzle. God knows what tomorrow will bring in terms of a linguistic adventure!
