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The May 17, 2025, NYT Strands puzzle is game #440, with the theme clue “She’s got game.” Need a nudge before the solution? Start with the hints below; the spangram is BASKETBALL, and the seven theme words are WNBA team names.
Hints for Strands #440
Use these clues in order to avoid seeing the full answer set too soon. Parade’s guide describes the theme as “Related to a certain sport.”
- Light hint: Think of a sport.
- First two letters: The seven theme words begin LY, DR, FE, ST, WI, LI, and ME.
- Spangram hint: It begins BA and runs mostly vertically.
Spangram and answers
Spangram: BASKETBALL
The remaining theme words are:
- LYNX
- DREAM
- FEVER
- STORM
- WINGS
- LIBERTY
- MERCURY
Why these words fit the theme
The seven words are names of WNBA teams; BASKETBALL identifies the sport that connects them. The theme clue “She’s got game” points toward women’s basketball rather than a collection of unrelated sports terms.
How Strands hints work
Strands is a New York Times word-search-style game: players trace theme words through a letter grid. The spangram describes the shared theme and stretches between two opposite sides of the board. Finding three non-theme words earns a hint that reveals letters from a theme word.
Quick Recap
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