NYT Strands hints and answers for Thursday, November 13 (game #620)

NYT Strands homescreen on a mobile phone screen, on a light blue background
(Image credit: New York Times)
Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Wednesday, November 12 (game #619).

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #620) - hint #1 - today's theme

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

Today's NYT Strands theme is… Out, damned spot!

NYT Strands today (game #620) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

  • BOAT
  • LOOK
  • SHAME
  • LATE
  • RUDE
  • BOOKS

NYT Strands today (game #620) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?

Spangram has 12 letters

NYT Strands today (game #620) - hint #4 - spangram position

What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 4th row

Last side: right, 4th row

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #620) - the answers

NYT Strands answers for game 620 on a blue background

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #620, are…

  • SPRAY
  • SCRUB
  • BLOT
  • LAUNDER
  • SOAK
  • STEAM
  • BLEACH
  • SPANGRAM: STAINREMOVAL

  • My rating: Hard
  • My score: 1 hint

It possibly says a lot about me that I whizzed through yesterday’s crosswords-themed Strands but labored to get to the end of this cleaning-based search. Regardless, I do think this was a particularly difficult game.

“Out, damned spot!” was a curious theme and one that initially made me wondering if I was missing a pop-culture reference – a line from 101 Dalmatians perhaps?

Even after getting SPRAY, SCRUB and BLOT the penny didn’t drop and it took me a hint to move forward. I also found the spangram more difficult to find than usual. Rather like cleaning chores, I couldn’t wait for it to all be over.


Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Wednesday, November 12, game #619)

  • ACROSS
  • DOWN
  • BYLINE
  • CLUES
  • GRID
  • ANSWERS
  • NUMBERS
  • SPANGRAM: CROSSWORD

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

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Contributor

Johnny is a freelance pop culture journalist who has been writing about the internet, music, football and famous people since the iPhone was just a twinkle in Steve Jobs' eye. Previously known by the pseudonym the Pop Detective, his journalistic career began making up stories about Madonna's addiction to sausage rolls (this is not true by the way). A man of few talents, his career is rich and various and includes the highs of interviewing Elton John and Blur; and the lows of interviewing Right Said Fred, appearing on a Channel 5 documentary about Peter Kay, and fact-checking the instruction manual for a German cooker. Somehow still affording to live in North London he is at his happiest riding his bicycle and shouting at pigeons.

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