NYT Strands today — hints, answers and spangram for Saturday, May 25 (game #83)

Today’s NYT Strands puzzle is a great example of what I really like about this word game. I won’t give anything away about it here, but read on for my commentary – and of course my hints, if you need a helping hand. 

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 #83) – hint #1 – today’s theme

NYT Strands today (game #83) – hint #2 – clue words

NYT Strands today (game #83) – hint #3 – spangram

NYT Strands today (game #83) – hint #4 – spangram position

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #83) – the answers

The answers to today’s Strands, game #83, are…

• TIME
• STAKE
• MOOSE
• LEAK
• CHILLY
• MEET
• PAIR
• SERIAL
• SPANGRAM: HOMOPHONES

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: Perfect

This is great. After all, the reason why we all love word games is that they get us thinking about language. And (as you’d hope would be the case for someone who spends their days writing), I love language. 

HOMOPHONES was the spangram, and the nicely cryptic ‘Sounds delicious!’ sort of gave the game away, or at least should have done once you uncovered one answer. For me, that was TIME – which, of course, sounds like ‘thyme’. 

After that, I spotted the spangram, which gave the board some structure, then worked methodically around the remainder. But it wasn’t easy – anything but. There are nine answers to find today, and lots of common consonants and vowels with which to assemble your words, so it’s a tricky beast all right. Still, I’d rather a hard-but-fun puzzle like this than a few other recent Strands puzzles, so more of this please, NYT!

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.

Yesterday’s NYT Strands answers (Friday 24 May, game #82)

• SOUR
• MOJITO
• SPRITZ
• GIMLET
• DAIQUIRI
• MARGARITA
• SPANGRAM: COCKTAILS