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The NYT's latest offering, "Strands," is quickly gaining traction as a new daily challenge for fans to enjoy on the NYT website and app. Featuring daily themes and a unique "spangram" to uncover, Strands is the newest addictive game to tackle, with a fresh puzzle appearing every 24 hours. In this article, we will break down how to play Strands, provide hints for today’s spangram, and reveal all the answers for Strands #396 on Thursday, April 3.

NYT Strands Theme Hint: "Get the Bug"

Today's puzzle revolves around different types of insects. If you’re trying to figure out the words, thik about bugs, beetles, and creepy crawlies commonly found in nature.

How to Play Strands

  • Drag or tap letters to create words.

  • If tapping, double-tap the last letter to submit.

  • Theme words fill the board entirely, and they don’t overlap.

  • The spangram describes the puzzle’s theme and stretches across the board, touching two opposite sides.

  • Once found, theme words highlight in blue, while the spangram highlights in yellow.

NYT Strands Spangram Hint: Horizontal or Vertical?

For today's puzzle, the spangram is horizontal (left to right). You’ll need to look across the board to find it.

Hints for Theme Words

There are seven theme words, including the spangram. If you need a head start, here are the first two letters of each word:

LI

ST

LA

PO

AS

DO

EN(Spangram)

NYT Strands Answers for April 3, 2025

Here’s the full word list for today’s puzzle:

LIGHTNING

STINK

LADY

POTATO

ASSASSIN

DOODLE

ENTOMOLOGY(Spangram)

The spangram, ENTOMOLOGY, perfectly captures the theme, as it is the scientific study of insects. The other words represent various insect species, such as lightning bugs (fireflies), stink bugs, ladybugs, and assassin bugs.

Final Thoughts

Today’s Strands puzzle was an exciting challenge for bug enthusiasts! If you didn’t solve it on your first try, don’t worry—each day brings a new puzzle with fresh themes and wordplay to enjoy. Keep playing, and check back tomorrow for the next NYT Strands hints and answers!

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