NYT Strands Hints & Answers — Saturday, May 23
DailyWordHints Editorial
“Staying alive”
- FLINT
- HATCHET
- MACHETE
- PARACORD
- SHOVEL
- TARP
NYT Strands #986 (Saturday, May 23) theme is “Staying alive”. Spangram: SURVIVALIST. Theme words: FLINT, HATCHET, MACHETE, PARACORD, SHOVEL, TARP.
“Staying alive”
Hints
Today’s Strands answers
- FLINT
- HATCHET
- MACHETE
- PARACORD
- SHOVEL
- TARP
See all past Strands puzzles →
Today's Strands hints (no spoilers)
Here are spoiler-free clues for NYT Strands #986, Saturday, May 23. The official theme is "Staying alive" — work through the hints before revealing the spangram.
How Strands hints work
Each hint reveals a bit more about the theme and the spangram without naming any answer word. The full list of theme words stays below the fold.
How to crack the spangram
The spangram touches two opposite sides of the board and sums up the whole theme, so it's usually the longest answer. Find a couple of theme words first, ask what links them, then look for a long path that stretches edge to edge.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the Strands spangram for May 23 (#986)?
- Today's Strands spangram is SURVIVALIST.
- What is the Strands theme today (#986)?
- The theme clue is "Staying alive", and the theme words are FLINT, HATCHET, MACHETE, PARACORD, SHOVEL, TARP.
- How many theme words are in a Strands puzzle?
- Each Strands board hides a set of theme words plus one spangram. Today's puzzle has 6 theme words to find alongside the spangram.