Strands is the NYT’s latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it’s great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc’s Wordle today page for the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don’t read on if you don’t want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #844) – hint #1 – today’s theme

What is the theme of today’s NYT Strands?

• Today’s NYT Strands theme is… Just relax

NYT Strands today (game #844) – hint #2 – clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

SPACIALHEARTTRUEPAGEMATESGAPPY

NYT Strands today (game #844) – hint #3 – spangram letters

How many letters are in today’s spangram?

• Spangram has 12 letters

NYT Strands today (game #844) – hint #4 – spangram position

What are two sides of the board that today’s spangram touches?

First side: left, 4th row

Last side: right, 8th row

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #844) – the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today’s Strands, game #844, are…

FACIALAROMATHERAPYACUPUNCTUREMASSAGESPANGRAM: SPATREATMENTMy rating: HardMy score: Perfect

Yesterday we were chilling, today we’re relaxing. I wonder if someone at Strands Towers wants a break?

Fortunately, after congratulating myself for getting “spacial” as a non-game word I realized that FACIAL was hiding in plain sight and that our search was all about words connected to SPATREATMENT.

When I was training for the London Marathon about a decade ago I was in a permanent state of pain and would get massages from someone whose technique veered closer to the brutal than the relaxing – in fact, many of his clients called him “the massage terrorist”.

To be honest, it put me off any kind of treatment, but the knots I tied myself in trying to unravel today’s search had me daydreaming of some rejuvenating therapy.

Yesterday’s NYT Strands answers (Wednesday, June 24, game #843)

BEERSELTZERKOMBUCHAJUICEWATERSODASPANGRAM: BEVERAGECOOLERS

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT’s not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It’s now a fully fledged member of the NYT’s games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I’ve got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you’re struggling to beat it each day.