Clue Solutions for Friday, August 8: hints, word scramble, and answers featured in the New York Times
In today's daily puzzle from the New York Times, Strands, the challenge is to find and select hidden theme-based words within a grid of letters. This grid is a trickier take on the classic word search, where you manipulate letters by dragging or tapping to craft words. When you find a correct theme word, its letters are highlighted blue and locked in place.
The theme for today's Strands puzzle is "Kings of swing and bebop," a reference to the jazz legends of these popular music styles. While a direct list of answers for this specific theme isn't readily available, based on the theme, typical answers might include prominent musicians or terms strongly associated with these styles, such as Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and more.
To solve Strands, you need to find the "theme words" hidden in the grid of letters. Every single letter on the Strands grid is used to spell out the theme words, and there is no overlap. If you find non-theme words (at least four letters long), for every three such words, you get a hint revealing some letters or order of a theme word, aiding in solving the puzzle.
The puzzle often features a "spangram," a word or phrase spanning the board that fully represents the theme. In today's Strands puzzle, the spangram is "JAZZCATS," which is a special theme word that describes today's puzzle's theme and touches two opposite sides of the board. When you find the spangram in Strands, it will be highlighted yellow.
To play the NYT Strands puzzle, you need to find and select theme-based words hidden in a grid of letters. You do this by dragging or tapping letters to form words, double-tapping the last letter to confirm a word. When you find a correct theme word, its letters are highlighted blue and locked in place. No theme words overlap, and every letter in the grid is used exactly once.
If you're stuck, remember that finding non-theme words that are at least four letters long will give you a hint. So, keep searching and good luck with today's Strands puzzle! If you'd like help identifying the probable theme words based on iconic jazz "kings," feel free to share the puzzle grid or more details.
Solve the Strands puzzle to immerse yourself in the vibrant lifestyle associated with iconic jazz entertainment. As you progress, discover hidden themes words like Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and more, which are integral to both living and enjoying the musical culture of swing and bebop.
