Another day, another tricky NYT Strands! Today’s puzzle comes with the theme “Find an Opening”, which might sound straightforward, but it hides a set of words tied to mystery, fate, and loop-holes. If you’ve been scratching your head trying to find all eight, don’t worry—we’ve got you covered with hints and the full solution below.

Theme: “Find an Opening”

Today’s Strands is all about looking closer, squeezing through narrow spaces, and spotting what others might miss. The theme “Find an Opening” challenges players to dig into the grid and discover tiny hidden spaces — literal and figurative.

Today’s Strands Puzzle (September 22, 2025)

Hints for Today’s Strands

Need some gentle nudges before the reveal? Try these clues:

  1. Tiny Spaces: Each word refers to a small opening or recess.
  2. Hidden Corners: Two answers sound like something you’d find in an old house’s architecture.
  3. Unusual Start: One word is a quirky three-letter one — not your usual guess!
  4. Nature’s Hint: Think about cracks in rocks or tree hollows.
  5. Organized Chaos: One word sounds like something you’d use to file or categorize.
  6. Nostalgic Nooks: These are places where you might hide a secret or keep a trinket.
  7. Short & Long Mix: Some are compact (3-4 letters), others stretch out a bit.
  8. Mind the Gap: The spangram is an iconic phrase warning you about — well — a gap!

NYT Strands Answers – September 22, 2025

  • NOOK – a quirky, rare opening
  • CREVICE – a narrow crack
  • ALCOVE – a recessed nook in a wall
  • CRANNY – a tiny hidden space
  • PIGEONHOLE – a small compartment for sorting

Spangram

MIND THE GAP — the perfect phrase threading the puzzle together, urging you to spot every tiny space in the grid.

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.

Did you manage to pull off the win?

This one was for the detail-oriented solvers! It rewarded patience, observation, and a bit of imagination. Finding all the tiny openings was satisfying — almost like peeking into secret worlds. September 22’s Strands was a scavenger hunt for words about spaces, nooks, and cracks. Perfect for players who love spotting hidden gems and working through tricky letter placements.