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.

5 October 2025 NYT Strands Theme: “Don’t Take the Bait”

Today’s Strands puzzle was all about trickery, strategy, and the subtle art of misdirection. Every answer pointed toward something designed to deceive — a clever reminder that not everything is what it seems.

5 October 2025 NYT Strands: Hints

  • Sneaky Business: Think deception, not honesty.
  • Bait and Switch: Each word plays on luring or misleading someone.
  • Strategic Thinking: These aren’t random lies — they’re crafted plans.
  • Spy Movie Vibes: Some answers sound like secret operations.
  • Mind Games: It’s all about traps, tricks, and clever setups.
  • Old-Fashioned Words: One answer is a classic term for a cunning plan.
  • Short and Sharp: Look for simple, sinister words like ruse or ploy.
  • Spangram: A phrase that reveals what all these have in common.

5 October 2025 NYT Strands: Answers

  • LURE – something used to attract a target
  • PLOY – a cunning plan or tactic
  • DECEPTION – the act of misleading
  • TRICK – a simple form of deceit
  • DECOY – bait to misdirect
  • RUSE – a sneaky or clever trick
  • STRATAGEM – a calculated scheme or plan

Spangram

IT’S A TRAP — the fitting phrase tying today’s words together, capturing the clever theme of trickery and entrapment.

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

October 5’s puzzle had a mischievous edge — equal parts brainy and sneaky. It made solvers think like strategists, looking past appearances to uncover the truth behind the trick.

Today’s Strands puzzle reminded players to stay sharp and question what looks too easy. With IT’S A TRAP as the spangram, it was a witty lesson in not getting played.