Hey there, Strands fam! It’s a new day, a new game, and a whole new way to see me rage through it, eh? Well, today’s puzzle was pretty easy too, thankfully. But, there was some deception that it threw at me, and I did need a leg up. However, it was super fun, and I never felt under the weather solving it. With that being said, let’s take a look at what March 17’s Strands had in store!
What is the Theme for Today’s NYT Strands?
As revealed by the New York Times, the theme for today’s Strands is “Outside interests”.
Compared to last day’s “Grow up!” theme, today’s theme did not seem as direct. My mind took the angle of outdoor activities immediately. But, was it that simple? Or, something entirely different? You will soon find out.
Oh, by the way, if you are new to this game, check out our guide on how to play NYT Strands.
Spangram Hint for Today’s Strands
Spoiler Warning #1
Even though we have tried our best to be subtle, the hints below might partially spoil the experience. Proceed with caution.
When it comes to NYT Strands, there are two categories of words in the game. The Spangrams are the ones that you should be targeting first since the other regular theme words fall under it directly. Every Strands game has one Spangram that you need to decipher. Think of it as the main theme of sorts.
Uncovering the Spangram as early on as possible makes completing the game easier. The hint for today’s Spangram is “Weatherman”
Theme Words Hints for Today’s Strands
Now, if you have figured out the Spangram from the above hint, figuring out the theme words will understandably be fairly easy. However, I don’t want to ruin it for you. Instead, here are hints to 2 out of 8 theme words that may help you:
- Hint #1: Underground shelters to the rescue
- Hint #2: Freezing white
- Hint #3: Free source of Vitamin D
Spoiler Warning #2 The next sections reveal the answers for today’s NYT Strands. So, I’d recommend not scrolling further if you are still solving the puzzle. However, if you are stuck, I suggest scrolling a wee bit to see the Spangram answer.
Spangram Answer for NYT Strands on March 17
The Spangram for today’s NYT Strands is FORECAST.
Alongside the Spangram, you have 7 theme words in today’s puzzle, which is what I have mostly seen with these puzzles so far. Last day’s Strands game saw 9 theme words, though. Anyway, with that being said, let’s go to the next section. However, proceed only if you are ready to take a look at the theme words.
List of Theme Words for NYT Strands on March 17
If you are still reading this, you are probably ready to see the answers. So, let’s take a look at today’s theme words in Strands:
- HAIL
- SNOW
- STORM
- SUNSHINE
- BLIZZARD
- RAIN
- TORNADO
Today’s NYT Strands had me in the first half and the theme instantly had me thinking about some ‘outside activities’ or ‘hobbies’. Well, that was misleading for sure, and I couldn’t find any of those words like hiking or trekking that I was looking for. I got to the point where I had to use a hint.
The hint revealed HAIL, starting at the third column and fourth row from the left. That was all the hint I needed, and ended up spotting SNOW, STORM, and SUNSHINE in quick succession. Oh yes, they were the theme words. After that, starting from the first column from the left and in the sixth row, I spotted FORECAST and knew it was a side-to-side Spangram today.
Didn’t take me long to spot BLIZZARD spanning the top four columns at the left edge. Then, right under SNOW, I spotted RAIN, starting at the third column and fourth row from the right.
With that, only the bottom portion of the grid remained to be solved. Just a quick look revealed to me TORNADO, and with it, my Strands game for the day had concluded.
When I play a game of NYT Strands, I try to not use any hints. Sadly, even with the easiest puzzles, I need that one push to make it through. Unfortunately, just like last day’s game, I had to use one hint today. I did beat myself up at that, yet again. Well, maybe tomorrow I won’t need the hint? Keeping my fingers crossed!
What about you? Did you find today’s Strands super easy as well? How many hints did you use to solve today’s game? Let me know in the comments down below!
