For the August 10, 2024, New York Times Strands puzzle (#160), the theme clue is “Not just for poking.” The spangram is STICKS, and the six theme words are HOCKEY, CONTROL, LICORICE, MEMORY, SWIZZLE and CINNAMON. Use the staged hints below to stop short of the full reveal if you still want to solve it yourself.
Hints for Strands #160
Reveal only as much as you need. The first hint repeats the puzzle’s theme clue; the later ones narrow down the spangram and its position.
- Theme clue: “Not just for poking.”
- Words that earn in-game hints: LIKE, CLICK, SHOE, SIZZLE, WINE and MINE.
- Spangram hint: “Twiggy.”
- Spangram placement: Its first letter is on the left side of the grid in row 2; its last letter is on the right side in row 7.
Full answer reveal
The spangram is STICKS. The six theme answers are:
- HOCKEY
- CONTROL
- LICORICE
- MEMORY
- SWIZZLE
- CINNAMON
Why these words fit
The spangram turns the broad clue into a category: each answer refers to a kind of stick. HOCKEY is sports equipment; CONTROL and MEMORY are computing terms; and LICORICE, SWIZZLE and CINNAMON refer to edible sticks. Together, the set spans non-food and food meanings rather than one narrow use.
How Strands hints and the spangram work
Strands is a word-search-style game played on a six-by-eight letter grid. Trace adjacent letters to make theme words; letters cannot be reused or crossed. The spangram names the shared theme and touches two opposite sides of the board. Finding three valid non-theme words of at least four letters earns an in-game hint that reveals a theme word.
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#1 Best Overall
For this puzzle, the theme clue invites several interpretations of “sticks.” The spangram, STICKS, supplies the category label; after finding it, search for examples across sports, computing and food.
Quick Recap
Rank #3
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