NYT Strands hints and answers for Saturday, May 9 (game #797)

NYT Strands homescreen on a mobile phone screen, on a light blue background — (Image credit: New York Times)

Jump to:

Hint #1: Today's theme
Hint #2: Clue words
Hint #3: Spangram letters
Hint #4: Spangram position
Today's answers
Yesterday's answers

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 Friday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Friday, May 8 (game #796).

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

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Garden variety

NYT Strands today (game #797) - hint #2 - clue words

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

PAIRS
DIGGER
GASP
CHIN
GUIDE
TIDES

NYT Strands today (game #797) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 13 letters

NYT Strands today (game #797) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

First side: left, 8th row

Last side: right, 8th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #797) - the answers

NYT Strands answers for game 797 on a blue background — (Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #797, are…

ARTICHOKE
LETTUCE
RADISH
ONION
ASPARAGUS
SPANGRAM: SPRINGVEGGIES

My rating: Easy
My score: Perfect

I initially thought I was playing yesterday’s game again but the themes are subtly different — yesterday it was “garden variety” as in commonplace and today it’s “garden varieties” as in the many vegetables one may grow in an actual garden, specifically in springtime.

That sorted out, I spotted ARTICHOKE almost immediately. Well, that’s a lie, I spotted “choke” immediately and then wondered if it could actually be ARTICHOKE.

After getting LETTUCE it was all pretty rudimentary, as each word was layered over each over in a growing heap — a bit like compost I suppose.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Friday, May 8, game #796)

BASIC
PROSAIC
COMMON
ORDINARY
PEDESTRIAN
SPANGRAM: RUNOFTHEMILL

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 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

Marc McLarenGlobal Editor in Chief