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NYT Strands puzzle #597, dated Tuesday, October 21, 2025, has the theme “Banding together.” The spangram is LIVECONCERT; the five other theme answers are OPENER, STAGE, ENCORE, HEADLINER and MERCHANDISE.
Hints for Strands #597
Use these words to unlock the in-game hints, listed from the guide for this puzzle:
- LIME
- RAGE
- CORE
- STRIVE
- LIVER
- HIRE
The spangram contains 10 letters. Its path reaches the left edge at row 3 and the right edge at row 4.
NYT Strands #597 answers
Spoiler warning: The complete answer list follows.
| Type | Answer | How it fits the theme |
|---|---|---|
| Spangram | LIVECONCERT | The event connecting all the words |
| Theme word | OPENER | The act that performs before the main artist |
| Theme word | STAGE | The performance area |
| Theme word | ENCORE | An additional performance after the scheduled set |
| Theme word | HEADLINER | The principal performer |
| Theme word | MERCHANDISE | Goods commonly sold at the event |
Why the answers are connected
Every entry describes part of a live concert. An opener appears before the headliner, both perform on a stage, an encore can follow the main set, and merchandise may be available for attendees. LIVECONCERT is the spangram that ties those elements together.
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What is NYT Strands?
Strands is a New York Times word game played through the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile. Each daily grid hides words linked by a theme, including a longer spangram that spans the board. The answer list above is specific to game #597.
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Puzzle details at a glance
- Puzzle: #597
- Date: Tuesday, October 21, 2025
- Theme: “Banding together”
- Spangram: LIVECONCERT
- Theme words: OPENER, STAGE, ENCORE, HEADLINER and MERCHANDISE
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