NYT Strands Hints and Answers for May 31, 2025 (#454)
Spoiler-safe hints for the NYT Strands puzzle of May 31, 2025: the theme clue first, then first letters, word lengths, the spangram, and the full grid.
Stuck on the Strands puzzle of May 31, 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 31, 2025, one rung at a time
ThemeToday’s theme
Next to the bobby pins
The puzzle calls today’s theme “Next to the bobby pins”. Read it loosely: the 5 answers are examples of it, not synonyms for it.
Hint 2First letters
Sorted alphabetically, the first letters are B, C, C, H, S. Two of them start with the same letter (C).
Hint 3Word lengths
The theme words are 4, 4, 8, 8 and 9 letters long. The shortest is 4 letters, the longest 9.
SpangramThe spangram
HAIRACCESSORIES
It is a single word of 15 letters and it touches two opposite sides of the board.
Starts with H, ends with S.
AnswersAll theme words
- CLAW4 letters
- CLIP4 letters
- BARRETTE8 letters
- HEADBAND8 letters
- SCRUNCHIE9 letters
BoardThe completed grid
Theme wordSpangramEach line follows one word; the small number is that letter’s place in it.