NYT Strands hints and answers for Tuesday, May 13 (game #436)
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 Monday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Monday, May 12 (game #435).
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 #436) - hint #1 - today's theme
What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?
• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Keep on keeping on
NYT Strands today (game #436) - hint #2 - clue words
Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
- BEGS
- PEST
- SALT
- DUNE
- PATE
- SNORE
NYT Strands today (game #436) - hint #3 - spangram letters
How many letters are in today's spangram?
• Spangram has 10 letters
NYT Strands today (game #436) - hint #4 - spangram position
What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?
First side: left, 4th row
Last side: right, 5th row
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Strands today (game #436) - the answers
The answers to today's Strands, game #436, are…
- LAST
- ENDURE
- SURVIVE
- ABIDE
- PERSIST
- PERSEVERE
- SPANGRAM: STAY STRONG
- My rating: Easy
- My score: Perfect
Today’s Strands theme immediately made me think about running the London Marathon a few years ago and all of the emotions you need to muster in order to get to the finish line.
In fact, you need them to get to the starting line too – as that is half the battle with endurance events, especially running ones.
Everyone I know will be yawning at the mention of the London Marathon. I do tend to go on about it a bit, but I see it as a metaphor for life’s eternal struggle. Plus, I like seeing the shock on people's faces that someone as unfit as me could run 26 miles.
Of course, today’s search words are relevant to plenty of other situations. The human ability to SURVIVE and find a way forward is always something worth celebrating – even if it comes in the form of a word search.
How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.
Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Monday, May 12, game #435)
- STANDING
- CHARACTER
- REPUTATION
- STATURE
- NAME
- SPANGRAM: STREET CRED
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.