Monday, August 18, 2025, is NYT Strands game #533. The theme is “If the shoe fits …”. Start with the clues below, then scroll past the spoiler warning for the spangram and all six other theme words.
Hints for Strands game #533
The theme points to something you probably wouldn’t want to leave home without. The theme wording is “If the shoe fits …”
Need a nudge toward the in-game hints? Finding three valid non-theme words of four or more letters unlocks a hint, according to TechRadar’s guide. Its suggested words are:
- CLAP
- LOCAL
- REPLIES
- STILL
- WIRE
- SPADE
Spangram clue
The spangram has eight letters. TechRadar reports that it starts at the top edge in the third column and ends at the bottom edge in the fifth column. In Strands, letters can connect horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, and the spangram links at least two sides of the board, as described in the TechRadar guide.
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The answer list below reveals the full solution.
Spangram
FOOTWEAR
Other theme words
- CLOG
- SNEAKER
- ESPADRILLE
- SLIPPER
- SANDAL
- LOAFER
The answer list is corroborated by the date-indexed Strands archive and TechRadar. The NYT game page was inaccessible to the reporting sources, so the gameplay details above reflect secondary reporting.
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