NYT Strands hints and answers for Thursday, May 8 (game #431)
Looking for NYT Strands answers and hints? Here's all you need to know to solve today's game, including the spangram.
A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Wednesday, May 7 (game #430).
Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.
Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.
NYT Strands today (game #431) - hint #1 - today's theme
What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?
• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Well, fancy that!
NYT Strands today (game #431) - hint #2 - clue words
Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
- SAINT
- LOON
- HINTS
- SALE
- SHAVE
- DUES
NYT Strands today (game #431) - hint #3 - spangram letters
How many letters are in today's spangram?
• Spangram has 8 letters
NYT Strands today (game #431) - hint #4 - spangram position
What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?
First side: top, 4th column
Last side: bottom, 4th column
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Strands today (game #431) - the answers
The answers to today's Strands, game #431, are…
- GAUDY
- SNAZZY
- EXTRAVAGANT
- DELUXE
- ORNATE
- LAVISH
- SPANGRAM: OOH SHINY
- My rating: Moderate
- My score: 1 hint
I struggled to get going with today’s search for fancy stuff and used a hint. GAUDY set me on my way and the double Z unlocked SNAZZY.
What this puzzle really needed was a spangram that twinkled at us for added distraction.
OOH SHINY is one of those universal meme phrases, the origins of which have been lost in the mists of time – it could be Pokemon or The Simpsons, it could be The Tick or Minecraft, the cast of Firefly or Gustav Kilimt. Who knows? Gemini AI certainly doesn’t, explaining that: “the phrase 'ooh shiny' has likely gained traction through its repeated use by various characters who embody a childlike or animalistic attraction to bright and glittering things.”
As an easily distracted person, I fall prey to “ooh shiny” quite a lot, although it’s often a packet of something I can eat.
How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.
Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Wednesday, May 7, game #430)
- ENGINE
- BOXCAR
- HOPPER
- CABOOSE
- FLATBED
- GONDOLA
- SPANGRAM: ALL ABOARD
What is NYT Strands?
Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.
