NYT Strands Hints and Answers for May 17, 2025 (#440)
Spoiler-safe hints for the NYT Strands puzzle of May 17, 2025: the theme clue first, then first letters, word lengths, the spangram, and the full grid.
Stuck on the Strands puzzle of May 17, 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 17, 2025, one rung at a time
ThemeToday’s theme
She's got game
Start from the clue “She's got game”. Once you see what the 7 theme words have in common, the grid opens up quickly.
Hint 2First letters
The theme words begin with D, F, L, L, M, S, W. Two of them start with the same letter (L).
Hint 3Word lengths
By length, the answers run 4, 5, 5, 5, 5, 7 and 7. The shortest is 4 letters, the longest 7.
SpangramThe spangram
BASKETBALL
10 letters, a single word, running from one edge of the grid to the opposite edge.
Starts with B, ends with L.
AnswersAll theme words
- LYNX4 letters
- DREAM5 letters
- FEVER5 letters
- STORM5 letters
- WINGS5 letters
- LIBERTY7 letters
- MERCURY7 letters
BoardThe completed grid
Theme wordSpangramEach line follows one word; the small number is that letter’s place in it.