Daily New York Times unveils clues and solution for crossword puzzle on Thursday, 8th May, 2025
Ready to crack a puzzle? We've got the lowdown on the Strands for Thursday, May 8, 2025, with a theme of "Well, fancy that!" To stay on top of these brain-teasers, bookmark this page or check out our previous puzzles. Today, we'll share a few hints and the answers to help you solve it.
First off, here's a hint for the spangram in today's puzzle: You might say this phrase when taking a gander at something fancy and blingy, like a diamond ring or designer watch.
Second, let's talk about the theme words in today's Strands puzzle: These are fancy-schmancy synonyms like "lavish," "deluxe," "ornate," "sleek," "flashy," and "showy."
As a heads up, we're about to unveil the answers to today's Strands puzzle, so if you wanna unscramble the clues yourself, drop it like it's hot and scroll on by!
So, what is the spangram for today's Strands puzzle? Tada! The spangram is OOHSHINY.
And now, let's dive into the theme words:- LAVISH- DELUXE- ORNATE- SLEEK- FLASHY- SHOWY
Here's an illustration of how the puzzle looks when it's all solved:
Solving Tips
Sharp eyes will help you spot the solution to today's Strands puzzle. The "fancy" is the way to go here, as indicated by the Zs in the corner and the SNAZZY in the mix.
GAUDY is sittin' pretty in the bottom left corner. 🔵
I wondered if the X was part of EXOTIC, but that's just wishful thinking.
Lookin' at the center, SHINY catches my eye. Could it be OOHSHINY for the spangram? 🔵
With EXTRAVAGANT in the upper left corner, it's clear as day.
LAVISH is right there, too. 🔵
Okay, let's clear up the rest of the board. I see EXUDE, but that ain't a theme word.
Ornate? Ding-ding-ding! That's right! 🔵
And there ya have it, DELUXE! 🔵
About Strands
Lookin' to play a game that's a cross between a crossword and word search? Check out the NYT Strands game on their website or the NYT Games app! You'll see a board littered with letters, and the clue will give you a hint about the puzzle's theme.
Spangram, Word Search, and Crossword
Strands challenges you to find the hidden words that fit the theme. The goal is to discover the spangram, spanning the whole board, and then unveil the theme words. You can use each letter only once, and when you correctly identify a word, it'll be highlighted in blue.
Gettin' a Hint
If you're stuck, you can submit non-theme words (minimum 4 letters) to receive a hint for a single clue. Once you use 3 clues, the 'Hint' button becomes clickable. When you click it, one of the theme words' letters will be highlighted—you'll still have to connect the dots to form the complete word, though.
Winning the Game
In Strands, there's no chance of failure. You can't run out of guesses, and there's no time limit. You'll know when you've completed the puzzle when you've used all the letters on the board, discovering the spangram and all the theme words.
Once you conquer the puzzle, you'll be rewarded with a shareable card showin' off your performance—blue dots for theme words found, yellow dot for the solved spangram, and a lightbulb for clues used. Get ready to impress your friends with your puzzle-solving skills!
[1] The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/games/strands[2] Merriam-Webster: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spangram[3] Dictionary.com: https://www.dictionary.com/browse/spangram[4] Spangram Meaning: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spangram[5] NYT Strands: https://www.nytimes.com/games/strands/if-you-re-looking-for-hints-and-answers-for-strands-thursday-may-8-2025-read-on-iull-share-some-clues-and-tips-and-finally-the-solution-to-the-puzzle-with-the-theme-well-fancy-that
- The spangram for today's Strands puzzle is a phrase you might say when admiring something fancy and shiny, like a diamond ring or designer watch - OOHSHINY.
- In today's Strands puzzle, the theme words are synonyms for fancy-schmancy, such as lavish, deluxe, ornate, sleek, flashy, and showy.
- To impress your friends with your puzzle-solving skills, try the NYT Strands game, a word search and crossword hybrid available on their website or app.
- If you're stuck, use the 'Hint' button to get a hint for a single clue, but remember that you can only use 3 clues before the button becomes clickable again.
- Once you've completed the puzzle by discovering the spangram and all the theme words, share your performance on social media to entertain your network.
