NYT Strands hints and answers for Wednesday, July 9 (game #493)

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, July 8 (game #492).

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.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.

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

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Party time!

NYT Strands today (game #493) - hint #2 - clue words

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

  • FINAL
  • SONNET
  • CLOSE 
  • POET
  • TOOL
  • BURNT

NYT Strands today (game #493) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 11 letters

NYT Strands today (game #493) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

First side: top, 6th column

Last side: bottom, 1st column

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

NYT Strands today (game #493) - the answers

NYT Strands answers for game 493 on a blue background

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #493, are…

  • BALLOON
  • BUNTING
  • PENNANT
  • CONFETTI
  • STREAMER
  • SPANGRAM: DECORATIONS
  • My rating: Hard
  • My score: 1 hint

Like many families, mine has a box in a cupboard filled with DECORATIONS that only see the light of day a few times a year, including BUNTING and banners.

It’s odd how a birthday doesn’t feel like a birthday if we don’t put these out the night before the special day, regardless of whether anyone is having a party or not – if they are, then the BALLOONs come out, too.

Unlike Christmas with its 12th night deadline, there is no official time when you must take down birthday cards and decorations. For some families it may be the day after, others may leave them up to keep the spirit alive.

I think this may be why in our house people have birthdays but there’s also a loose agreement that they have a birthday week too. It’s a lovely thing, why not let it last a bit?

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Tuesday, July 8, game #492)

  • TIME
  • CHANGE
  • KEYS
  • MOMENT
  • BEDROOM
  • HANDS
  • PARTS
  • TIRES
  • SPANGRAM: SPARES

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.

See more Computing News
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.