The theme for the Friday, January 3, 2025, NYT Strands puzzle is “On auto.” The clue is “Roadworthiness essentials.” If you want to solve it yourself, start with the hints below and stop before the spoiler reveal for the full answers.
Hints for the January 3 Strands puzzle
Theme
On auto.
Additional clue
Roadworthiness essentials.
First letters
The answers begin with these letter pairs: BU, DO, HO, GR, CA, WI, TR, and MI.
How NYT Strands works
Strands is a word-search-style puzzle played on a six-by-eight grid. Connect adjacent letters to form words related to the theme. Theme words turn blue when found, and the spangram describes the theme and stretches between two sides of the board. Finding three valid words that are not theme answers earns a hint that highlights letters in a theme word.
Spoiler warning: full answers below
The following section reveals the puzzle’s spangram and every theme word.
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CAR BODY (also written CARBODY). Parade reports that it runs horizontally from right to left.
Theme words
- BUMPER
- DOOR
- HOOD
- GRILLE
- WINDSHIELD
- TRUNK
- MIRROR
A note about the puzzle number
The title supplied for this guide calls the puzzle #291, but contemporary coverage and a January 2025 archive identify the Friday, January 3, 2025 puzzle as #306. Forbes’s January 2 coverage gives the hint sequence and answers: Forbes, “NYT ‘Strands’ Hints And Answers For Friday, January 3”. Parade independently confirms the answers and describes the spangram’s orientation: Parade, “Today’s NYT ‘Strands’ Hints, Spangram and Answers for Friday, January 3”. The archive also lists January 3 as #306: January 2025 Strands archive.
Quick Recap
Rank #3
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