NYT Strands Hints and Answers for August 22, 2025 (#537)
Spoiler-safe hints for the NYT Strands puzzle of August 22, 2025: the theme clue first, then first letters, word lengths, the spangram, and the full grid.
Stuck on the Strands puzzle of August 22, 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 22, 2025, one rung at a time
ThemeToday’s theme
Whodunit?
Today’s theme is “Whodunit?”. All 6 theme words fit that idea — and the spangram names it outright.
Hint 2First letters
Sorted alphabetically, the first letters are D, H, L, R, S, S. Two of them start with the same letter (S).
Hint 3Word lengths
The theme words are 4, 5, 5, 6, 8 and 9 letters long. The shortest is 4 letters, the longest 9.
SpangramThe spangram
ITSAMYSTERY
It is a single word of 11 letters and it touches two opposite sides of the board.
Starts with I, ends with Y.
AnswersAll theme words
- HEIR4 letters
- LOVER5 letters
- RIVAL5 letters
- SPOUSE6 letters
- STRANGER8 letters
- DETECTIVE9 letters
BoardThe completed grid
Theme wordSpangramEach line follows one word; the small number is that letter’s place in it.