NYT Strands Hints and Answers for May 5, 2025 (#428)
Spoiler-safe hints for the NYT Strands puzzle of May 5, 2025: the theme clue first, then first letters, word lengths, the spangram, and the full grid.
Stuck on the Strands puzzle of May 5, 2025? Start with the theme, take one rung at a time, and stop as soon as the grid opens up. Nothing below is revealed until you tap it.
Hints for May 5, 2025, one rung at a time
ThemeToday’s theme
On the side
The puzzle calls today’s theme “On the side”. Read it loosely: the 6 answers are examples of it, not synonyms for it.
Hint 2First letters
Sorted alphabetically, the first letters are C, C, H, S, S, W. Several share a starting letter (C, S).
Hint 3Word lengths
The theme words are 4, 5, 5, 6, 7 and 10 letters long. The shortest is 4 letters, the longest 10.
SpangramThe spangram
FRENCHFRIES
It is a single word of 11 letters and it touches two opposite sides of the board.
Starts with F, ends with S.
AnswersAll theme words
- HOME4 letters
- CURLY5 letters
- STEAK5 letters
- WAFFLE6 letters
- CRINKLE7 letters
- SHOESTRING10 letters
BoardThe completed grid
Theme wordSpangramEach line follows one word; the small number is that letter’s place in it.