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Today’s NYT Strands puzzle was a fun one for me, but then, I get a huge kick out of the game that is today’s topic. Game? Sport? I guess it’s both, depending on your dedication level. Some of the answers are difficult to unscramble, so if you need hints and answers, read on.
I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story.
If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.
Read more: NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So Far
Hint for today’s Strands puzzle
Today’s Strands theme is: Strike one!
If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: Put your shoes on and start rolling!
Clue words to unlock in-game hints
Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints, but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:
- COAL, BOWL, RACE, RACED, DEAL, LEAD, BALE, SPIN
Answers for today’s Strands puzzle
These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you have all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers:
- PINS, BALLS, LOUNGE, LANES, ARCADE, SCOREBOARD
Today’s Strands spangram
The completed NYT Strands puzzle for May 17, 2026.
Today’s Strands spangram is BOWLINGALLEY. To find it, start with the B that’s two letters over on the top row, and wind over and then down.