If you're struggling with today's NYT Strands puzzle for September 14, 2025, don’t worry—we’ve got you covered. Below you’ll find hints and the full list of answers to help you finish today’s puzzle.

Today’s Puzzle:

Theme: “Practice Makes Perfect” 🎹

Today’s Strands hits all the right notes — literally. The theme “Practice Makes Perfect” takes you into the world of music and discipline, where every clue is a step toward mastering an instrument. Whether you’re a musician or not, this puzzle will have you hearing a melody in your head by the time you finish.

Hints for 18 September 2025 NYT Strands

Want a little help before peeking at the answers? Here are 8 clever clues to guide you:

  1. Musical Mindset: All words are connected to music training or playing an instrument.
  2. Warm-Up First: One answer is what you do to prepare your instrument before performing.
  3. Building Blocks: One is a sequence of notes that helps practice finger technique.
  4. Theory Counts: Think of the study side of music, not just the sound.
  5. Performance Time: One word refers to showing off your skills in front of others.
  6. Finger Workout: Another is about how you actually play — the physical approach.
  7. Harmony Matters: One answer literally means a set of notes played together.

NYT Strands Answers for September 18

Here’s what today’s musical grid revealed:

  • TUNE – the melody you create or adjust
  • CHORD – notes struck together in harmony
  • SCALE – the building blocks of practice sessions
  • TECHNIQUE – how you place your fingers and play
  • RECITAL – performance, usually in front of a small audience
  • THEORY – the study side of music, its rules and structures

Spangram!

PIANO LESSONS
It runs across the board, tying the whole puzzle together — a perfect metaphor for the theme.

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.

Stranded with ideas?

Today’s Strands felt like sitting at a piano: awkward at first, then smoother as each piece clicked into place. The moment the spangram revealed itself, it felt like striking the perfect chord — that satisfying yes! moment.

Tomorrow might bring a totally different theme, but if today taught us anything, it’s this: keep practicing, keep looking, keep playing. Perfection is closer than you think.