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 #927) – hint #1 – today’s theme

What is the theme of today’s NYT Strands?

• Today’s NYT Strands theme is… Hard not to notice

NYT Strands today (game #927) – hint #2 – clue words

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

BRINGGIFTHALFSTINGBIRTHSTIR

NYT Strands today (game #927) – hint #3 – spangram letters

How many letters are in today’s spangram?

• Spangram has 11 letters

NYT Strands today (game #927) – hint #4 – spangram position

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

• First side: top, 1st column

• Last side: bottom, 4th column

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

NYT Strands today (game #927) – the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today’s Strands, game #927, are…

JAZZYVIVIDBRIGHTFLASHYSTRIKINGVIBRANTSPANGRAM: EYECATCHINGMy rating: HardMy score: 1 hint

My first thoughts about today’s theme were obvious ones like conspicuous, but surely this clue couldn’t be so blatant — especially as there was no letter P on the entire board.

There were, though, two letter Zs, so I managed to get JAZZY immediately, followed by VIVID and BRIGHT — the theme nailed down to describing the loud and garish. I was able to make some progress, but still needed a hint to get FLASHY.

I kicked myself that I’d missed the spangram EYECATCHING, as EYE was staring at me in my favorite starting position in the top left-hand corner.

I ended happy to have completed a tricky game, but annoyed that I’d missed a golden, flickering neon sign of an opportunity for a spangram-first. Congratulations if you spotted it.

Yesterday’s NYT Strands answers (Tuesday, September 15, game #926)

JOISTBOLTHINGENAILKNOBBRACKETANCHORSCREWSPANGRAM: HARDWARE

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.