NYT Strands today — hints, spangram and answers for game #273 (Sunday, December 1 2024)

NYT Strands on a cellphone
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide/NY Times/Shutterstock)
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Need some assistance with NYT Strands today? Today's theme — "Old hang-ups" — might be rather tricky if you were born this century.

Below, we've compiled some useful hints for Strands #273, as well as the answers, should it come to that. We'll start off with some clues, before building up to the full answer for Strands #273, so read on if you need a little help.

Warning: Spoilers lie ahead for Strands #273.

Today's NYT Strands answer — Today's theme and hints

The official theme for NYT Strands #273 is... "Old hang-ups".

And here's an unofficial hint from me: "Placing a call, the old-fashioned way".

If you're still in the dark, here are some useful words to give you those valuable clue tokens:

  • SCAR
  • VINE
  • LONGER
  • SANER
  • TIRED
  • VICE
  • STIR

Still struggling? The spangram will give you a hint about the connection word. Today, it starts with 'R' and ends with 'E'.

Scroll down to find out what it is...

It's ROTARYPHONE.

Today's Strands answers

So, what are today's Strands answers for game #273?

Drumroll, please...

  • SWITCH
  • DIAL
  • RECEIVER
  • HANDSET
  • CRADLE
  • RINGER

Strands #273

(Image credit: Alan Martin)

...and the spangram was ROTARYPHONE.

Strands #273

“Old hang-ups”

🔵💡🔵🔵

🔵🔵🔵🟡

Hi Strands fans. This will be a tricky one for younger players. I was born in the 1980s, and only have a dim recollection of ROTARYPHONEs, so anyone born this century may struggle.

Initially, I thought the theme of "Old hang-ups" might refer to out-of-fashion clothing. Indeed, I started to spell out "vintage" until I couldn't find a 'T' to connect it.

Then I saw SWITCH in the top-right corner, and I was off. Although not off enough to know what it was about, and I had to use a clue that revealed DIAL.

Of course! It was about old telephones - which left me kicking myself as I'd already found the word "phone" and added it as a possible clue word.

Regardless, it was now pretty straightforward. I found RECEIVER in the top-left corner and HANDSET directly below it in the bottom right.

CRADLE and RINGER completed the answer sheet to its right, which just left the spangram - one of those tricky ones that completes a full circle around the middle of the grid. It was, of course, ROTARYPHONE.

Yesterday's Strands answers

Reading this in a later time zone? You can find the full article on yesterday's Strands answers for game #273 right here.

Alan Martin

Freelance contributor Alan has been writing about tech for over a decade, covering phones, drones and everything in between. Previously Deputy Editor of tech site Alphr, his words are found all over the web and in the occasional magazine too. When not weighing up the pros and cons of the latest smartwatch, you'll probably find him tackling his ever-growing games backlog. Or, more likely, playing Spelunky for the millionth time.

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