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Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →This archived NYT Strands puzzle is game #487, dated Thursday, July 3, 2025. Its theme is “Beyond vanilla.” Start with the spoiler-free hints below; the spangram and all five theme words are revealed farther down.
Hints for Thursday, July 3
- Theme: “Beyond vanilla.”
- Gentle clue: Think chocolate, strawberry, and similar flavors.
- Another clue: Maybe in a cone.
- First two letters: CH, BU, PI, CO, BR.
- Spangram: Eight letters; it reaches the bottom at the third column and the top at the fourth.
To unlock the game’s in-grid hints, TechRadar lists these playable words: MARCH, BROWN, BORE, STRETCH, SCOTCH, and CROWN. The hints and board details are from TechRadar’s July 3 guide; the theme and starting letters are also listed in Forbes’ July 3 guide.
Spoiler warning: full answers below
The solution follows. Stop here if you want to finish the grid without seeing the words.
Spangram and answers
- Spangram: ICECREAM (also written as ICE CREAM)
- Theme words: CHERRY, BUTTERSCOTCH, PISTACHIO, COFFEE, BROWNIE
There are six words in all: the five theme words and the spangram. The solution is reported by Forbes and TechRadar.
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Which puzzle counts as “today”?
This page covers the July 3, 2025 archive, game #487—not necessarily the puzzle currently shown as “today.” NYT Strands changes puzzles at midnight in each time zone, so readers in different locations can encounter different date labels around the daily rollover, as TechRadar notes in its game #487 guide.
Quick Recap
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