Strands #574 leans into cards. If you’re staring at the grid and not seeing it yet, start with the theme hint, grab a few clue words to unlock in-game reveals, then use the full answers below when you’re ready.
Play today’s Strands
Open the daily puzzle at the official Strands page: nytimes.com/games/strands.
Today’s theme hint
Theme: “Hit the deck!”
Additional nudge: Shuffle and deal.
Clue words to bank in-game hints
Any valid four-letter (or longer) word advances your hint meter. These worked today:
| CHAT | CHATS | MADS | NINE | SASS |
| PASS | MOSS | CLUB | HEAR | HEARS |
Tip: Every three qualifying words earns a revealed theme word.
Strands #574 answers (spoilers)
| Spangram | INTHECARDS |
|---|---|
| Theme answers | JACK |
| QUEEN | |
| KING | |
| CLUBS | |
| HEARTS | |
| DIAMONDS | |
| SPADES |
Note: The spangram is the theme-defining entry that snakes from one edge of the grid to the opposite edge.
Quick Strands refresher
- Find hidden words tied to the daily theme. Letters connect in any direction without reusing a tile within the same word.
- Submit any three valid words of four letters or more to trigger a hint reveal for a theme word.
- The spangram summarizes the theme and spans from one side of the board to the other.
- When you’ve solved the puzzle, every letter on the board is used. The number of theme words can vary by day.
If you’re chasing a streak, bank a few clue words early to surface a theme entry, then scan for the spangram path — it usually unlocks the rest. Check back tomorrow for a fresh grid.
