NYT Strands Hints and Answers for August 18, 2025 (#533)
Spoiler-safe hints for the NYT Strands puzzle of August 18, 2025: the theme clue first, then first letters, word lengths, the spangram, and the full grid.
Stuck on the Strands puzzle of August 18, 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 August 18, 2025, one rung at a time
ThemeToday’s theme
If the shoe fits ...
Start from the clue “If the shoe fits ...”. Once you see what the 6 theme words have in common, the grid opens up quickly.
Hint 2First letters
The theme words begin with C, E, L, S, S, S. Two of them start with the same letter (S).
Hint 3Word lengths
By length, the answers run 4, 6, 6, 7, 7 and 10. The shortest is 4 letters, the longest 10.
SpangramThe spangram
FOOTWEAR
8 letters, a single word, running from one edge of the grid to the opposite edge.
Starts with F, ends with R.
AnswersAll theme words
- CLOG4 letters
- LOAFER6 letters
- SANDAL6 letters
- SLIPPER7 letters
- SNEAKER7 letters
- ESPADRILLE10 letters
BoardThe completed grid
Theme wordSpangramEach line follows one word; the small number is that letter’s place in it.