Jump to:

NYT Strands hints and answers for Wednesday, January 28 (game #696)

News
By Contributions from published

My clues will help you solve the NYT's Strands today and keep that streak going

NYT Strands homescreen on a mobile phone screen, on a light blue background
(Image credit: New York Times)
Jump to:
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 Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Tuesday, January 27 (game #695).

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

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Zen state

NYT Strands today (game #696) - hint #2 - clue words

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

  • CLUE
  • BLUE
  • FINED
  • TASTE
  • SLIDE
  • FENDER

NYT Strands today (game #696) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 11 letters

NYT Strands today (game #696) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

First side: left, 1st row

Last side: right, 6th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #696) - the answers

NYT Strands answers for game 696 on a blue background

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #696, are…

  • RELAX
  • FOCUS
  • BREATHE
  • NOTICE
  • LISTEN
  • MEDITATE
  • SPANGRAM: MINDFULNESS
  • My rating: Easy
  • My score: Perfect

The very first word I thought of in terms of a “zen state” was RELAX – and thanks to that letter X it was not exactly a hard word to find.

Next I thought about MINDFULNESS, very much a buzzword of our current age, all about slowing down and being more in tune with the world around us.

I once started reading a book about zen meditation, but the fact that I only started it and was far too impatient to read more than a few pages possibly illustrates where I sit on the MINDFULNESS scale. That said, I really do like to BREATHE. I try to do it every day.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Tuesday, January 27, game #695)

  • SPOT
  • BLUE
  • BANDIT
  • CHAMP
  • SCOUT
  • ROVER
  • SCRUFFY
  • BUDDY
  • SPANGRAM: HEREBOY

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.

TOPICS
Johnny Dee
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.

With contributions from

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Back To Top