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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesOctober 23 has different NYT Strands answers in different years. The latest completed October 23 puzzle in the available guides is Thursday, October 23, 2025, game #599. Its theme was “Please don’t eat me!” If you meant Wednesday, October 23, 2024, game #234 had a different theme and answer set. October 23, 2026 is still in the future as of October 8, 2026, so its puzzle is not available yet.
October 23, 2025: game #599 answers
The theme was “Please don’t eat me!” The spangram was POISONOUS, and the theme words were AZALEA, HEMLOCK, FOXGLOVE, BELLADONNA and OLEANDER. These are the puzzle answers, not a guide to identifying poisonous plants. TechRadar’s October 22, 2025 guide lists the clue words POND, LOVER, FOOL, FISH, SOCK and DIAL for unlocking in-game hints. It describes the spangram as nine letters, running from the left side at row 1 to the right side at row 8. TechRadar rated this solve Hard and said its author used one hint; that is the guide author’s account, not an independent difficulty rating.
October 23, 2024: game #234 answers
The theme was “On the Road,” about symbols that guide drivers. The spangram was TRAFFICSIGNS; the six theme words were STOP, DETOUR, YIELD, BUMP, MERGE and CONSTRUCTION. The spangram ran horizontally from left to right. Parade’s October 23, 2024 guide lists the hint initials ST, DE, YI, BU, ME, CO and TR, including the spangram, and says the puzzle had seven theme words including it.
How Strands hints work—and how to use them
Parade’s summary of the gameplay rules says theme words fill the board without overlapping and turn blue when found. The spangram describes the theme, touches two opposite sides of the board and turns yellow when solved; it may consist of two words. You can select letters by dragging or tapping, and on a tap-based selection you double-tap the final letter to submit.
- Use the theme clue to think of related words, then trace possible answers through connected letters.
- If you need help, find three non-theme words to earn an in-game hint. A hint reveals letters of an unsolved theme word; if a hint is already active, another reveals the letters’ order. A hint does not directly provide the answer.
- Think of the spangram as both a theme clue and a board-spanning answer: it must touch opposite edges.
NYT Strands can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile, as described by TechRadar.
Quick Recap
Rank #3
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