Jobaaj Stories
NYT Strands Puzzle for April 17: Hints, Spangram, and Answers
The New York Times’ daily word game Strands has quickly become a fan-favorite for puzzle lovers. Every day brings a fresh challenge that tests your ability to find words in a grid — with a clever theme tying everything together. For Thursday, April 17, the theme was all about the movies.
What Is the NYT Strands Game?
Strands is a unique twist on the classic word search. Each puzzle gives you a 6x8 letter grid and a clue related to a theme. The goal is to find theme-related words, plus a special word called a spangram that connects at least two edges of the board.
Every letter in the puzzle is used once, and words can be formed in any direction — vertically, horizontally, diagonally, and even with direction changes in the middle.
If you find three unrelated words with four letters or more, you’ll unlock a hint that highlights one of the theme words. You can play Strands on the New York Times website or via the NYT Games app.
Today’s Theme Hint: “THE movies”
That’s right — today's theme was movie-related titles. And for fans of classic cinema, this puzzle might’ve felt like a fun trip down memory lane.
If you needed a little extra help, the secondary hint read:
“These pictures definitely have an article.”
This subtle clue hinted that each answer had the word "The" in the movie title.
NYT Strands Puzzle Answers for April 17
For those who solved it, today’s spangram — the key word that ties the theme together — was:
TITLES
This was the main link between all the theme words, which were all movie titles beginning with "The".
Here’s the full list of today’s theme answers:
GODFATHER
RING
GRADUATE
AVIATOR
SHINING
GOONIES
TITLES (Spangram)
Many users reported finding the spangram early, which made solving the rest of the grid much easier. The theme clue gave a strong hint this time, so fans who follow film classics had an advantage.
A Fun Puzzle With a Cinematic Twist
Today’s puzzle wasn’t the hardest, but it offered a satisfying experience for movie lovers. From The Godfather to The Goonies, each answer brought back iconic films that fans still love today.
Whether you're new to Strands or a daily solver, puzzles like this are a great way to test your memory and vocabulary — and sometimes, your movie knowledge too.
