NYT Strands for today: clues, spangram, and solutions for Monday, May 19.

      Strands is a new daily puzzle introduced by the New York Times. It offers a more challenging version of the traditional word search, requiring close attention to solve. Similar to Wordle, Connections, and the Mini Crossword, Strands can sometimes be tricky. There’s no need to feel embarrassed about seeking a bit of assistance. If you find yourself stuck and want to know the solutions for today’s Strands puzzle, check out the resolved puzzle below.

      How to play Strands

      Each Strands puzzle begins with the aim of discovering the “theme words” concealed within the letter grid. You can manipulate the letters by dragging or tapping to form words; to confirm, double-tap the last letter. When you guess a correct word, the letters will be highlighted in blue and can no longer be selected.

      Even if you discover a word not related to the theme, it can still be beneficial! For every three non-theme words you identify that are a minimum of four letters long, you will receive a hint — the letters of one of the theme words will be disclosed, and you will need to unscramble it.

      Every letter in the grid contributes to forming the theme words, and there’s no overlap. Each letter is used exactly once.

      Additionally, each puzzle features a “spangram,” which is a distinct theme word (or words) that characterizes the puzzle’s theme and spans across two opposite sides of the board. When you locate the spangram, it will be highlighted in yellow.

      The objective is to solve the puzzle quickly while minimizing the use of hints.

      Hint for today’s Strands puzzle

      Today's theme is “Taking the bait.”

      Here’s a helpful hint: cast a line.

      Today’s Strand answers

      NYT

      Today’s spangram

      We’ll begin by providing you with the spangram, which may aid you in deducing the theme and tackling the rest of the puzzle independently:

      SOMETHINGSFISHY

      Today’s Strands answers

      TROUT

      SALMON

      HALIBUT

      MACKEREL

      SNAPPER

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      Words With Friends is pursuing Wordle’s success by introducing new daily puzzle games.

      Words With Friends is expanding. Originally a popular method for playing unofficial multiplayer Scrabble on mobile, it has now developed into a broader platform for other daily word games.

      Mobile gaming powerhouse Zynga announced the addition of four new games to the app. Mini Crosswords delivers a new crossword puzzle to complete every day along with a leaderboard for competing with others. Word Wheel is an anagram challenge where players link letters in a wheel to form words. Word Search presents a fresh puzzle theme daily. Lastly, Guess Word resembles Wordle, where players must guess a word in six attempts.

      Best games similar to Connections

      The recent surge in popularity of word-related puzzle games and brain teasers began with Wordle. Many continue to be captivated by that game, but The New York Times recognized the opportunity to provide us with new brain-stimulating games, such as Connections. The premise is straightforward, yet the puzzles are incredibly tricky. Nevertheless, there's something addictive about cracking these codes and solving logic puzzles (even if you need a bit of help). If you excel at them and seek additional ways to challenge your mind, there are plenty of alternatives beyond what the NYT website offers. Here are some fantastic options to try if you enjoy Connections.

      Best games like Connections

      Dabble: A Fast-Paced Word Game

      NYT Connections tips: how to succeed in Connections every day

      Wordle's explosive popularity made it a natural acquisition for the New York Times, but the outlet didn't stop there. They have launched an entire section dedicated to brain-teasing puzzles for everyone to attempt daily, including the exceptionally challenging Connections. Almost everyone who has tried it has become hooked, and for good reasons. The concept is simple, yet solving these puzzles is never straightforward. If you haven't tried Connections yet or were deterred by it on your first attempt, check out our expert tips and tricks to get a better understanding of how to solve each puzzle. Once you do, you will find yourself returning to play every day.

      Connections tips and tricks

      The rules of Connections are easy to grasp: you receive a grid of 16 words that must be categorized into four groups based on a common connection. For instance, four of the 16 words might all relate to fruits and therefore logically fit together. However, Connections is far more challenging, so do not expect the answers to be obvious. The different groups are also assigned various colors according to their difficulty level, starting with yellow as the easiest, followed by green, then blue, and finally purple, which is the hardest.