If you’re hooked on the daily NYT Strands puzzle, you’re not alone. It’s a fresh word game from the New York Times that combines elements of a word search with clever, theme-based twists.

12 October 2025 NYT Strands Theme: “Follow suit”

12 October 2025 NYT Strands: Hints

  • Deck of Fun: Think of games you’d play with a standard 52-card deck.
  • Old but Gold: Many of these have been played for centuries.
  • Groups & Strategy: These aren’t solo games — teamwork or rivalry is key.
  • Hearts and Spades? Maybe more than just suits.
  • Spangram: The type of games these all belong to.

12 October 2025 NYT Strands: Answers

  • BRIDGE – the mind game of partnership and precision.
  • WHIST – a 19th-century favorite that inspired Bridge itself.
  • EUCHRE – fast-paced and competitive, beloved in the Midwest.
  • PINOCHLE – part bidding, part brilliance.
  • HEARTS – where avoiding the Queen of Spades is half the fun.
  • SPADES – a classic test of cooperation and bluffing.

Spangram

TRICK TAKING — the heart of all these games, where every move counts and every hand tells a story.

How Strands works

Strands is a daily word search puzzle with a twist:

  • You’re given a theme.
  • The grid is packed with hidden words tied to that theme.
  • Words can run in any direction, including diagonals.
  • Once you find all the theme words, you’re done!

Each puzzle usually has around 6–8 theme words.

How to get and use hints

Hints are built right into Strands, and they’re super useful if you’re stuck:

  • To earn a hint, find any non-theme word of at least four letters in the grid.
  • Each valid extra word gives you one hint.
  • When you use a hint, one of the theme words will be revealed automatically, helping you move forward.

Pro tip: Don’t just burn hints — use them strategically when the grid feels impossible. Sometimes a single revealed word unlocks the entire board.

Tips to become a NYT Strands pro

  1. Start with obvious words. Look for clear connections to the theme first.
  2. Scan diagonals early. Strands loves to hide words at an angle.
  3. Build around found words. Once one word is cleared, the leftover letters often point to the next.
  4. Use hints wisely. Earn them steadily by spotting extra words, then save them for when you’re truly stuck.
  5. Think about synonyms. The theme clue isn’t always literal — broaden your thinking.

Final Thoughts

It wasn’t just about the cards — it was about tradition, intelligence, and play. Each word tied together generations of game nights, blending logic with leisure.

Today’s Strands reminded us that strategy never goes out of style. Whether you play for fun or to win, sometimes the best move is simply to follow suit.