NYT Strands hints today: Spangram, Clues, answers for February 20, 2025

Want to solve Strands yourself, but do you need some help? Browse off for carefully shortened Strands hints, tips and strategies. If you are looking for the direct solution, you can jump directly to today's Strands Answers that is revealed at the bottom of the page. Take a moment to decide how much help you need!

understand the game: What are NYT Strands?

Strands presents a daily intellectual challenge that focuses on identifying relationships between words. In essence, it is a puzzle that tests your ability to distinguish underlying themes or categories shared by specific terms.

The premise:

• You are offered a timetable containing sixteen different words.
• Your task is to discover four separate groups, each consisting of four words connected by a common trait or concept.

The Challenge:

• The compounds are not always obvious. Categories can range from simple concepts (such as types of fish) to more abstract or nuanced themes (for example, words associated with a specific sound, items that can be folded).
• Players must choose four words that they believe form a group and submit their guess.
• The puzzle includes a restriction on incorrect guesses, adding an element of strategy and risk assessment. The successful identification of a group reveals the category and removes those words from the grid.

The purpose:

The ultimate goal is to correctly identify all four groups and their corresponding categories within the allowed number of errors, thus clearing the entire grid. It serves as a stimulating spiritual exercise in pattern recognition, vocabulary and lateral thinking.