NYT Strands hints and answers for Tuesday, January 20 (game #688)

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 Monday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Monday, January 19 (game #687).

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 #688) - hint #1 - today's theme

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

Today's NYT Strands theme is… Sneak-ing around

NYT Strands today (game #688) - hint #2 - clue words

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

  • LAME
  • CASH
  • SLOTH
  • SPOUT
  • TONE
  • LOVE

NYT Strands today (game #688) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?

Spangram has 12 letters

NYT Strands today (game #688) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

First side: top, 1st column

Last side: bottom, 5th column

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

NYT Strands today (game #688) - the answers

NYT Strands answers for game 688 on a blue background

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #688, are…

  • HEEL
  • TONGUE
  • VAMP
  • SOLE
  • SHOELACE
  • LOGO
  • EYELET
  • SPANGRAM: JUSTFORKICKS

  • My rating: Easy
  • My score: Perfect

For the second game in a row I spotted the spangram first - although to be completely honest I spotted “just” first then kept on going to connect JUSTFORKICS – ending the mystery of the theme in a second.

Of all the various parts of a sneaker in today’s puzzle, VAMP is the one that is new for me and I now know that it’s the word for the small area between the toe box and the quarter panel which contains the eyelets.

During my sneaker shoe parts research I also learned that the area above the heel notch, and often the section that houses the LOGO, is called a moustache. For me, this is the area that often rubs when I’m breaking in a new pair so now I can tell anyone who’s interested that my moustache is rubbing.


Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Monday, January 19, game #687)

  • VIBRATE
  • QUAKE
  • WOBBLE
  • SWAY
  • TREMBLE
  • WAVER
  • TEETER
  • SPANGRAM: LETSROCK

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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