NYT Strands today — hints, spangram and answers for game #426 (Saturday, May 3 2025)

NYT Strands on a cellphone
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide/NY Times/Shutterstock)
Strands today: Quick menu

Need some assistance with NYT Strands today? Today's theme — "Say 'ah'" — is rather tough, even when you know what it's about.

Below, we've compiled some useful hints for Strands #426, 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 #426, so read on if you need a little help.

Warning: Spoilers lie ahead for Strands #426.

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

The official theme for NYT Strands #426 is... "Say 'ah'"

And here's an unofficial hint from me: "Tools of the trade".

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

  • HOME
  • SEATS
  • MOTHER
  • SCOOPS
  • OTHER
  • ROOT
  • GAIT
  • REPORTS

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

Scroll down to find out what it is...

It's DOCTORSKIT.

Today's Strands answers

So, what are today's Strands answers for game #426?

Drumroll, please...

  • TAPE
  • GAUZE
  • SYRINGE
  • STETHOSCOPE
  • THERMOMETER

Strands #426

(Image credit: Alan Martin)

...and the spangram was DOCTORSKIT

Strands #426

“Say "ah"”

💡🔵💡🔵

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Hi Strands fans. I must be having a bit of a slow day today, as I really struggled here. It didn't help that the theme - "Say 'ah'" is something I more associate with dentists than doctors, but that's making excuses.

In any case, I had to use two clues to get started. They revealed TAPE on the right-hand side, which didn't help much, and GAUZE below it in the bottom corner.

From there, I was able to establish this was about medical equipment, and I duly found SYRINGE in the top-right corner, followed by STETHOSCOPE on the opposite side.

That cleared enough space between them to complete the spangram of DOCTORSKIT spelt from top to bottom, and that just left THERMOMETER in the bottom left to complete the puzzle.

Yesterday's Strands answers

Reading this in a later time zone? You can find the full article on yesterday's Strands answers for game #425 right here.

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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