NYT Strands Hints and Answers for July 31, 2025 (#515)
Spoiler-safe hints for the NYT Strands puzzle of July 31, 2025: the theme clue first, then first letters, word lengths, the spangram, and the full grid.
Stuck on the Strands puzzle of July 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 July 31, 2025, one rung at a time
ThemeToday’s theme
Half-baked
The puzzle calls today’s theme “Half-baked”. Read it loosely: the 7 answers are examples of it, not synonyms for it.
Hint 2First letters
The theme words begin with B, C, F, F, L, P, S. Two of them start with the same letter (F).
Hint 3Word lengths
By length, the answers run 4, 5, 5, 5, 6, 6 and 6. The shortest is 4 letters, the longest 6.
SpangramThe spangram
PIECEOFCAKE
11 letters, a single word, running from one edge of the grid to the opposite edge.
Starts with P, ends with E.
AnswersAll theme words
- LAVA4 letters
- BUNDT5 letters
- FRUIT5 letters
- POUND5 letters
- CHEESE6 letters
- FUNNEL6 letters
- SPONGE6 letters
BoardThe completed grid
Theme wordSpangramEach line follows one word; the small number is that letter’s place in it.