If you are finding it hard to spot theme words in today’s puzzle, then you are in serious need of the Strands hints below. Those bored with sensational games like Wordle and Connections are turning their attention to Strands for a challenging new experience. If you happen to be one of them and are struggling with NYT Strands, we can get you sorted. So, to help you out, we have added the Strands hints, answers, and Spangram on Thursday, May 15, 2025, below.
What is NYT Strands?
NYT Strands is a word game created by The New York Times as part of its growing “Games” library. The aim of this New York Times game is to connect letters in a six-by-eight grid to form a bunch of words that share the same theme.
To get you started, the puzzle will give you a theme for today’s NYT Strands. You can use it to form multiple “theme” words which will be relevant to this theme, along with one “special” word called the Spangram. This is a word or phrase that spans the length of the grid, vertically, horizontally, or diagonally, giving you the key to crack the rest of the Strands theme words.
The theme for today’s Strands can be relevant in many different ways. So, the puzzle keeps you on your toes every day with its intriguing set of theme words and Spangrams.
NYT Strands Hints for Today’s Theme: “Animal drives”
The theme for today’s Strands on May 15, 2025, is — Animal drives.
If you can’t figure out answers for today’s puzzle, here’s a quick Strands hint — think of cars named after specific animals.
Here are hints for a couple of Strands theme words to make it easy for you to solve today’s puzzle on your own without having to scroll down to view the answers:
- Hint #1: a large brownish antelope, native to southeastern Africa.
- Hint #2: a wild or half-tamed horse of the western US.
NYT Strands Spangram Hint: Is It Vertical or Horizontal?
The Spangram for today’s Strands on May 15, 2025, is mostly HORIZONTAL. It starts with the letters “AU”.
The hint for today’s Spangram for Strands — the official name for a four-wheeled vehicle designed primarily for passengers.
Spoiler Warning:
Scroll past this point AT YOUR OWN RISK. Hints and answers for today’s Strands below.
Today’s NYT Strands Answers for May 15, 2025
Today’s Strands Spangram Answer
The Spangram answer for today’s Strands on May 15, 2025, is — Automobiles
All Theme Words in Today’s Strands
Still looking for the theme words to get the answers for today’s NYT Strands? You can check them out below:
- BEETLE
- MUSTANG
- IMPALA
- JAGUAR
- BRONCO
- RABBIT
The answers for today’s Strands were pretty easy. I started with the first set of theme words – BEETLE and MUSTANG which gave me a good idea on what the theme for today’s Strands might be about. As soon as I spotted AUTO, I was able to find the Spangram and solve the rest of the theme words.
What is NYT Strands Spangram and How Does It Work?
Every NYT Strands puzzle consists of a unique word or phrase that’s called the Spangram. This word or set of words will run the length of two opposite sides of the grid. One thing to note here is that, a Spangram doesn’t necessarily have to originate or end at the edge of the grid.
In its essence, the Spangram is kind of like a bigger hint that sums up today’s Strands theme in just a word or two. Since it spans across two sides of the puzzle, solving it early helps you figure out the rest of the theme words and vice versa.
Tips and Tricks for Mastering NYT Strands Puzzles
Solving an NYT Strands puzzle successfully isn’t that hard in itself, but in some cases, the approach might not be as straightforward as it looks. So, here are simple tips and tricks that we suggest you follow to crack the theme words and Spangram for Strands puzzles:
- Always start at the corners: No two puzzles are the same. But the chances of the Spangram extending to a diagonal form are quite low. So, the best strategy is to find and decrypt relevant words that are at the corners of the grid.
- Don’t be ashamed to get hints: Sometimes, a theme word could be all you need to solve the entire puzzle. If that requires getting a hint using non-theme words, then that’s the first thing you should do. After all, the point is to have fun and figure this out, like all of us.
- Think both literally and figuratively: Not all themes may land you in the same sense of thought. Some puzzles may welcome more clever answers that may convey something totally different from their actual meaning.
- Aim for the Spangram: The Spangram is what splits the Strands board in half. So, figuring it out will help you cross out other potential approaches for a theme. Deciphering even half of the Spangram can get you close to the rest of the answers.
Still finding it difficult to master the art of NYT Strands? Follow our guide and learn how to play Strands, along with more helpful tips and tricks.
The theme for today’s NYT strands puzzle is – Animal drives.
Today’s Strands puzzle is mostly HORIZONTAL, and the answers include cars that are named after animals. The Spangram answer for today’s Strands puzzle is — Automobiles.
The answer to yesterday’s NYT strands puzzle was – LineDance and you can find the NYT Strands hints for May 14 here.
