Need a bit of help with NYT Strands today? No shame in that, and you've come to the right place. Below, we've compiled some useful hints for Strands #635, as well as the answers, should it come to that.
Warning: Spoilers lie ahead for Strands #635.
Today's NYT Strands answer — Today's theme and hints
The official theme for NYT Strands #635 is... "If all else fails..."
And here's an unofficial hint from me: "In need of luck".
If you're still in the dark, here are some useful words to give you those valuable clue tokens:
- DASH
- WEAK
- RATS
- MADE
- TILED
- SALE
- STAY
- WAKEN
Still struggling? The spangram touches two opposite sides of the board (but can start and end anywhere), and will give you a hint about the connection between the answers. Today, it starts with 'M' and ends with 'H'.
Scroll down to find out what it is...
It's MAKEAWISH.
Today's Strands answers
So, what are today's Strands answers for game #635?
Drumroll, please...
- FOUNTAIN
- COIN
- LADYBUG
- STAR
- EYELASH
- DANDELION
...and the spangram was MAKEAWISH.
Strands #635
“If all else fails ...”
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Hi Strands fans. Going in, I didn't have a clue what the theme of "If all else fails..." could refer to. Even when I found the word FOUNTAIN at the bottom of the grid, I was lost, so used a clue.
This revealed COIN just above it. Hmmm. Fountains? Coins? Is this about wish making?
Yes, yes it is.
I connected MAKEAWISH backwards along the middle of the grid to divide the board in two. That let me connect LADYBUG below it, which is just as well, as I wouldn't have got that answer without it literally being the only option with the letters available.
I had three left to find in the top section of the board. STAR was in the top-left corner, and I eventually clocked EYELASH immediately below it. That just left DANDELION at the top to complete the puzzle.
Yesterday's Strands answers
Reading this in a later time zone? Here are the Strands answers for game #634.
- FAMILY
- FOOD
- FRIENDS
- LIFE
- COMMUNITY
- WORK
- HEALTH
...and the spangram was THANKFUL.
Strands #634
“With gratitude”
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Hi Strands fans. What with the New York Times puzzle setters' love of topical games, there was always a good chance that today's Strands would be Thanksgiving related. Sure enough, here comes one with the pretty obvious theme of "With gratitude."
It quickly became apparent that this was a puzzle all about listing the things humans tend to be thankful for. I found the spangram of THANKFUL across the middle of the board to split it in two, and then set to work brainstorming that very topic.
FAMILY was written directly above it, with FOOD to its right. FRIENDS was above that, with the rather all-encompassing topic of LIFE in the top-left corner to complete the half.
The bottom section was a little trickier, as it only had three answers in it, meaning one was likely to be longer than the others. I found this answer right away: COMMUNITY, twisting around the left-hand side.
All that was left was to connect WORK backwards below it, and then to link HEALTH in the bottom-right corner to complete the puzzle.
