NYT Strands today — hints, spangram and answers for game #428 (Monday, May 5 2025)

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Need help with Strands #428? Here are some hints and the answers

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(Image credit: Tom’s Guide/NY Times/Shutterstock)
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Need some assistance with NYT Strands today? Today's theme — "On the side'" — may leave you feeling hungry.

Below, we've compiled some useful hints for Strands #428, 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 #428, so read on if you need a little help.

Warning: Spoilers lie ahead for Strands #428.

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

The official theme for NYT Strands #428 is... "On the side".

And here's an unofficial hint from me: "Crispy and delicious".

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

  • CUTS
  • CRATES
  • RICE
  • MEEK
  • RICHER
  • GRIST
  • EAST

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

Scroll down to find out what it is...

It's FRENCHFRIES.

Today's Strands answers

So, what are today's Strands answers for game #428?

Drumroll, please...

  • STEAK
  • CRINKLE
  • CURLY
  • WAFFLE
  • SHOESTRING
  • HOME

Strands #428

(Image credit: Alan Martin)

...and the spangram was FRENCHFRIES

Strands #428

“On the side”

🔵🔵🔵🔵

🔵🟡🔵

Hi Strands fans. Not a great puzzle for those looking to eat well, as I am at the moment. Shouldn't have writtent this up when feeling hungry, really.

Because "On the side" is, of course, all about french fries. I didn't figure that out right away, as the first word I found was STEAK at the top of the grid, which sent me off in the wrong direction. But when I found CRINKLE in the bottom right, I remembered that 'steak' is also a kind of fry, and I was away.

I found CURLY (definitely the best one) above it, and then WAFFLE in the bottom-left corner. SHOESTRING was in the top-left corner, which neatly cleared a path for the spangram of FRENCHFRIES.

All that was left was to fill in HOME in the middle 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 #427 right here.

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Alan Martin
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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