NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Oct. 16

Don’t know how to solve today’s NYT Strands puzzle? You’re not alone. Strands may not be as popular as the New York Times games like Wordle and Connections, but it is fun and challenging. The puzzle started getting more attention after Strands recently came out of Beta, the game is now formally a part of the New York Times Games app. With opening on matinee today, here we present all the tools one would require to solve the puzzles of the day.

What is NYT Strands?

NYT Strands is a word puzzle in the letter-linking series of puzzles where a theme is incorporated into the play. The goal of this fairly straightforward activity is to identify specific theme words amidst a set of letters arranged in a grid. There are several ways in which players can expose these theme words; they include the discovery of smaller “hint” words. With every additional hint word shown in the game gradually unveils the letters from the theme words.

Today’s puzzle, Strands #227, has to do with books. While some players may know this idea quickly, others will need a little assistance.

How to Play Strands

The rules are simple, but mastering the game requires a sharp eye for patterns:

Find Hint Words: Start with the words of four letters up. These hint words are not necessarily related to the theme of the puzzle but these open letters are for the theme words.

Reveal Theme Words: For every three hints, one of the theme words will be disclosed. Looking for hints to guess the theme word? Using the given keyword, specify three more hint words to spotlight the letters in the keyword to order.

Spot the Spangram: Every puzzle contains a “spangram” , a particular word placed diagonally across the puzzle. It is usually the trickiest word and symbolizes the general idea of the Schoolmaster.

Hint for Oct. 16 Puzzle: "How Poe-tic"Today’s theme is the poetic type and is based on one of the most famous heads of Baltimore – Edgar Allan Poe. If that does not make the name familiar at least reflect on his most popular work.

Clue Words for Strands #227

For those having trouble uncovering hint words, try these examples to reveal some of the letters:

MIND

MINE

NERD

MORE

NIGHT

RIGHT

RIDER

Note that any four-letter word will suffice, although these will easily reveal crucial hints.

Answers for Oct. 16 Strands Puzzle

Today’s theme centres on one of Edgar Allan Poe’s most renowned works. If Poe is the clue, the answers follow a dark and mysterious pattern. Below are the theme words needed to complete the puzzle:

• WEAK

• WEARY

• MIDNIGHT

• DREARY

• PONDERED

• NEVERMORE

Today's Strands Spangram: THE RAVEN

The Spangram for today’s puzzle is “THE RAVEN,” Poe’s haunting poem that many consider his masterpiece. To find it, start with the “T” near the top row and follow the letters down to form the phrase. “The Raven” perfectly ties the entire puzzle together.

Conclusion

NYT Strands remains a good source of wordplay along with a combination of strong themes. The puzzle of the day is associated with Edgar Allan Poe’s stories and gives people a unique opportunity to go through one of the most famous works of the author. Strand is a patient and word-finding endeavour, but if the hints are given, the sliding motion unravels rather easily. Focus on the spangram as it provides the information to shift to the next level. Therefore, for October 16, the Poetic Pairing Challenge is in the realm of melancholy with “The Raven”.