The May 3, 2024, NYT Strands puzzle (#61) has the theme clue “A shade envious?” Its six theme words are JUNGLE, PISTACHIO, FOREST, OLIVE, ARTICHOKE, and EMERALD; the spangram is GREENS.
Spoilers: Strands #61 solution
| Puzzle element | Answer |
|---|---|
| Theme clue | A shade envious? |
| Spangram | GREENS |
| Theme words | JUNGLE, PISTACHIO, FOREST, OLIVE, ARTICHOKE, EMERALD |
The puzzle is dated May 3, 2024. Two guides published on May 2 report the same clue and answers: TechRadar’s Strands #61 guide and Try Hard Guides’ answer guide. Their answer order differs, so the list above does not imply a canonical discovery order.
Why the answers fit the clue
“Envious” points toward the familiar phrase “green with envy,” while “shade” suggests a color. The spangram, GREENS, names the broad category: each of the six answers is associated with something green. The set ranges beyond foods: JUNGLE and FOREST point to green places, EMERALD is a green gemstone, and PISTACHIO, OLIVE, and ARTICHOKE are foods.
How the spangram can help you solve the board
If you want to understand the solve rather than just check the answers, start by connecting the clue to green and looking for a long word that could summarize the theme. Once you identify GREENS, use the line it traces across the grid to split the remaining search area and look for the shorter theme words on either side.
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TechRadar reports that GREENS crossed its board from the left side of the sixth row to the right side of the fifth row. In that guide’s account, the spangram helped locate PISTACHIO, JUNGLE, FOREST, and EMERALD; OLIVE and ARTICHOKE were found afterward. That is one reported solving sequence, not a required order.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How Strands works
Strands is a themed word-search game played on a letter grid. Secondary guides describe its rules this way: letters in an answer can connect in any direction, cannot be reused or crossed, and the spangram describes the theme while touching opposite sides of the board. Finding valid words that are not theme answers can earn hints. These mechanics are described by Try Hard Guides; the archived puzzle’s answer set is also reported by TechRadar.
TechRadar describes Strands as playable through NYT Games on desktop or mobile. The agreement between the two guides supports the solution above, though neither is an official NYT archive entry.
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