Get the NYT Strands puzzle hints, answers, and spangram for May 8, 2025. Today’s theme: Well, fancy that! Solve with ease using our full guide.


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🧩 What's Today’s NYT Strands Theme?

The theme for today's NYT Strands puzzle is:
“Well, fancy that!”

This puzzle is all about glamour, glitz, and everything shiny. If you’re thinking of red carpets, crown jewels, or extravagant style — you’re on the right track.

Need more help? Here's a handy hint:
💡 Think about the crown jewels...

🧠 Need Help Unlocking In-Game Hints?

To get closer to solving the puzzle, you can uncover hidden words that match the theme. Every time you find three words (with four or more letters), the game reveals a theme word.

These are some starter words that can help you unlock hints:

  • RULE

  • SLUR

  • SHAVE

  • STERLING

  • HEART

  • ZANY

  • GAVE

  • VASE

👉 Any 4-letter (or longer) words will work — just keep looking!

✅ Answers for Today’s NYT Strands Puzzle

Here are the theme-related words hidden in the puzzle:

  • GAUDY

  • DELUXE

  • LAVISH

  • ORNATE

  • SNAZZY

  • EXTRAVAGANT

These words perfectly fit the "fancy and glamorous" theme.

🌟 Today’s Spangram (May 8 Puzzle)

🟩 The Spangram — a word that stretches across the board — is:
OOHSHINY

Where to find it:
Start with the “O” that's four spaces to the right on the top row, then trace straight down. It’s rare to see a spangram that forms a perfectly straight line!

🧠 Some of the Toughest Strands Puzzles So Far

If you enjoy a challenge, here are a few tricky puzzles from recent months:

  • “Dated slang” (Jan 21) — Tough word: PHAT

  • “Thar she blows!” (Jan 15) — Tricky terms: BALEEN, RIGHT

  • “Off the hook” (Jan 9) — Challengers: BIGEYE, SKIPJACK

🎮 More NYT Puzzle Fun

Want more brain teasers? CNET also shares daily hints and answers for:

  • Wordle 🟩

  • NYT Mini Crossword ✍️

  • Connections 🔗

  • Connections: Sports Edition ⚽

FAQ

The theme is “Well, fancy that!” It’s all about luxury, glitz, and shine.

The spangram is OOHSHINY, which runs in a straight line down the board.

Find any words with four or more letters. For every three valid words, one theme word is revealed.

There are six theme words plus the spangram, making a total of seven words to find.

You can check CNET’s daily puzzle page for updated hints and solutions for Wordle, Mini Crossword, Connections, and more.

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