On October 5, 2024, NYT Strands presented puzzle #216, which had the central theme of “No way!“. This theme played into words associated with disbelief, deception, and falseness, making it a thought-provoking and somewhat challenging puzzle for many players. Here’s an in-depth look at the hints, answers, and the strategies you can use to approach the game if you haven’t completed it yet.
Overview of NYT Strands
NYT Strands is a word game from the New York Times, similar to other word puzzles like Wordle and Connections, but with its unique gameplay style. Players are presented with a grid of letters, and the objective is to connect them to form words. These words are connected to a central theme for each puzzle, which helps guide the player toward finding the correct words. One of the most important aspects of the game is the “Spangram,” a word that usually spans two sides of the grid and encapsulates the theme of the puzzle. Once the Spangram is discovered, finding the other theme-related words becomes easier.
Theme for October 5, 2024
For puzzle #216, the theme was “No way!“, which immediately suggests words linked to disbelief, trickery, or things that aren’t what they seem. This is a clue that directs players to think about words commonly used to describe scams, falsehoods, or hoaxes—anything that would make someone say “No way!” in surprise or skepticism.
Hints for the Spangram
The Spangram for this particular puzzle was “THATS UNREAL.” This phrase can describe an event or situation that seems too incredible or bizarre to be true, which aligns well with the overall theme of the puzzle. Finding this Spangram provides a strong starting point because once you identify this key word, you gain insight into the rest of the puzzle’s structure. For example, this phrase hints that the remaining words would likely describe scenarios or characters associated with deception or something being fake.
Theme Words
After uncovering the Spangram, the next step is to identify the other theme words. For this puzzle, all the theme words related to deception or falsehood in some way, reinforcing the “No way!” theme.
Here are the answers for the theme words:
- CHARLATAN: A charlatan is a person who falsely claims to have special knowledge or skills, often for personal gain. In essence, they are frauds or impostors, which ties in perfectly with the idea of deception.
- HOAX: A hoax is a deliberate trick or deception, usually designed to fool people into believing something that isn’t true. Famous hoaxes throughout history, like crop circles or false UFO sightings, would definitely make someone exclaim, “No way!”
- HUMBUG: This word refers to deceptive or false behavior, often used to describe someone pretending to have a virtue or quality that they lack. It’s also the term famously used by Scrooge in A Christmas Carol when he expresses his disdain for Christmas.
- SHAM: A sham is something that is not what it appears to be—an imitation, pretense, or counterfeit. In the context of this puzzle, it fits the theme of fakeness and illusion.
- QUACK: A quack is a person who falsely claims to have medical or other professional expertise. Historically, “quack doctors” sold ineffective or harmful remedies to unsuspecting patients, making “quack” a perfect fit for this theme of deception.
- FAKE: This word needs no detailed explanation; it refers to anything that is counterfeit or not real. Whether it’s fake news, fake products, or fake people, this word resonates with the theme of something being unbelievable.
- PHONY: Like “fake,” “phony” refers to someone or something that is not genuine. People often use the term to describe a person who is pretending to be something they are not, reinforcing the puzzle’s emphasis on deception and falsehood.
Strategy and Word-Finding Tips
One of the key strategies for NYT Strands is to start with the Spangram. Since it often touches multiple sides of the grid, finding it can unlock a large portion of the puzzle. In this case, “THATS UNREAL” would be a long enough word to help expose several surrounding letters, providing clues to other theme words.
After identifying the Spangram, the next step is to consider the puzzle’s theme. Since “No way!” suggests incredulity and deceit, players should focus on words that describe fake things or frauds. If you’re stuck, think about synonyms for “fake” or “deceit.” Often, starting with shorter words like “FAKE” or “SHAM” can lead to discovering longer, more complex words like “CHARLATAN” or “QUACK.”
Another tip is to use the game’s hint system if you’re having trouble. By finding non-theme words, you can unlock hints that will help guide you toward the remaining answers. However, many players prefer to solve the puzzle without hints for the extra challenge.
Difficulty Level
This particular puzzle was rated as moderately challenging. The theme is straightforward enough, but some of the words—especially “CHARLATAN” and “HUMBUG”—might not be immediately obvious to all players. These are less common terms, especially compared to more frequently used words like “FAKE” and “SHAM.”
Additionally, the Spangram itself, “THATS UNREAL,” is a bit tricky because it’s a phrase rather than a single word. This can be more difficult for some players, as NYT Strands puzzles typically feature single words rather than full expressions. Once you identify the Spangram, however, it makes the rest of the puzzle much easier to solve.