Stuck on today’s Strands? Here’s a concise guide to the Sep 17 puzzle so you can keep your streak intact. If you’re new to the game, Strands is the New York Times’ daily twist on a word search where every letter is used exactly once and one special “spangram” spells out the theme. You can play it on the NYT Games site.

Today’s theme

Clue: “We beg to differ.” The board is built around opposites — antonym pairs that sit in contrast across the grid.

Spangram (orientation and answer)

  • Orientation: vertical
  • Answer: OPPOSITESATTRACT

As usual, the spangram touches two opposite edges of the board and threads through the layout. Finding it early can make the remaining pairs faster to spot, but it’s not required to finish.

All theme answers (non-spangram)

  • BOLD
  • TIMID
  • NOISY
  • QUIET
  • RIGID
  • FLEXIBLE

These naturally form three antonym pairs: BOLD/TIMID, NOISY/QUIET, and RIGID/FLEXIBLE.

Fast path to a solve

  • Scan for distinctive letter clusters that anchor a pair. For example, QU often pinpoints QUIET, and the -ID ending can help surface RIGID or TIMID.
  • Once you confirm one half of a pair, search nearby for letters that could complete its opposite; constructors often place related words with some spatial logic.
  • If the spangram isn’t obvious at first, leave it for later: clearing two pairs frequently exposes a clean lane for OPPOSITESATTRACT.

How in-game hints work

You can submit any valid non-theme word of four letters or more. Every three such finds earns a hint that highlights the letters of one theme word; you’ll still need to trace them in order. There’s no penalty for guesses, and there’s no timer — the puzzle completes when all theme words and the spangram are placed and every letter on the board is used once.

Why this theme lands

Antonym grids tend to feel fair: once you land one side (say, BOLD), the partner (TIMID) becomes easier to reason out. That momentum, plus a long, descriptive spangram, makes this one approachable even if you’re new to Strands.

Want to tackle the next one as it drops? Add the Strands page to your daily rotation and practice spotting anchor clusters like QU, repeated suffixes, or mirrored letter patterns — they’re reliable entry points on most boards.