These are the hints and answers for NYT Strands game #559, played on Saturday, September 13, 2025. The puzzle’s theme is “Better than good.” Start with the gentle clue below, then use the spangram hint if you still need help. The complete answer list is in the spoiler section.
NYT Strands hints for September 13
Theme hint
Better than good.
Gentle clue
Think of Tony the Tiger.
Spangram hint
- It has 11 letters.
- It touches the top and bottom edges of the board.
- Reported first-two-letter cues are AP, MI, AU, LA, PL, EX and TH.
How Strands works
Form words by dragging across, or tapping, adjacent letters. Theme words remain highlighted and fill the board without overlapping. Finding three non-theme words earns a hint that reveals the letters of one theme word. The spangram explains the puzzle’s theme, touches two opposite sides of the board and can contain two words.
Spoiler: NYT Strands answers for game #559
Stop here if you are still solving.
- EXPECTATIONS
- APES
- PLAINS
- LAKES
- AUNTS
- MINDS
- Spangram: THEYRE GREAT
A note about AUNTS versus AUNT
Parade’s answer list prints the singular AUNT, while TechRadar and its syndicated report list AUNTS. The plural is used here because two reports agree on AUNTS; the rest of the answer list, the theme and the spangram match across the reports.
Quick Recap
Best Value
#1 Best Overall
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