Here are some hints, and the answers, for the Nov. 3 Strands puzzle, No. 245.
Looking for the most recent Strands answer? Click here for our daily Strands hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Connections puzzles at Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Nov. 3, #245.
Strands doesn’t get as much attention as its New York Times game siblings Wordle and Connections, but it can be just as challenging and entertaining. Strands just moved out of beta, so it’s now in the New York Times’ official Games app, which might bring it more fans. I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story at Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Nov. 3, #245.
If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page at Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Nov. 3, #245.
How to play NYT Strands
- Use today’s theme to look for words relating to that topic. See one? Drag or click the letters in order. Click on the last letter twice to submit your guess. If you’ve found a theme word, it’ll light up in blue and stay that way at Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Nov. 3, #245.
- Other words you find are considered hint words that give you clues to the theme words. Find three hint words (they must have at least four letters each) and the game will reward you by showing you a theme word. But if you can’t unscramble it, find three more hint words and the game will highlight the theme word’s letters in order at Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Nov. 3, #245.
- Hunt for the spangram, a special theme word that spans the entire puzzle, though it could flow across or top to bottom. It summarizes the puzzle theme at Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Nov. 3, #245.
- When you’re done, you’ll have used every letter on the board in either a theme word or spangram. Theme words fill the entire board and do not overlap at Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Nov. 3, #245.
Hint for today’s Strands puzzle
Today’s Strands theme is: In my kingdom
If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: Think back to biology class at Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Nov. 3, #245.
Clue words to unlock in-game hints
Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints, but any words of four or more letters that you find will work at Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Nov. 3, #245:
- TOAD, RODE, MUMPS, MATH, PUSS, LOON, PHAT, HOLY, THAN, MICE, NOOSE, CLAD, SOON, PROD, SOLD, PECS, MOSS, DROP
Answers for today’s Strands puzzle
These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you’ve got all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers at Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Nov. 3, #245:
- CLASS, GENUS, ORDER, DOMAIN, FAMILY, PHYLUM, SPECIES
Today’s Strands spangram
The Strands spangram for today is TAXONOMY.Start at Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Nov. 3, #245, which is the T with four letters down on the far left row, and work your way down to discover it.