Struggling a bit with today’s Strands puzzle? Don’t worry — we’re here to give you all the hints, clues, and (if you really need them) the full answers to help you finish today’s NYT Strands, puzzle #421, for April 28, 2025.
Let’s dive into it!
What is NYT Strands?
If you’re new here, a quick refresher: Strands is one of The New York Times’ latest word games. It challenges players to find themed words hidden within a grid of scrambled letters. As you find words related to the theme, you get closer to uncovering the puzzle’s final solution — including a special spangram that stretches across the board.
Unlike Wordle or Connections, Strands mixes a clever theme with word-hunting skills, keeping your brain sharp and your vocabulary growing.
Now, let’s get to today’s juicy hints!
Hint for Today’s Strands Puzzle
The theme for today’s Strands puzzle is:
Need a little more help? Think along the lines of mistakes, accidents, and clumsy moments. This theme is all about errors and those little slip-ups we all experience from time to time.
If you’re still feeling stuck, here’s an extra clue: “Uh-oh!”
How to Unlock In-Game Hints
In Strands, every time you find three non-theme words that are four letters or longer, the game reveals one of the hidden theme words automatically.
Here are some words that you could use to unlock hints today (but remember, any four-letter words you find will work):
- NUMB
- TOLE
- POLE
- POLES
- SPIT
- PITS
- SOPPY
- BREW
- TALE
- DUMB
- DUMBS
- ALTER
- LETS
- BALE
- BALES
These little “helper” words are like stepping stones to reaching the main theme answers!
Answers for Today’s Strands Puzzle
If you want to solve it yourself, proceed with caution from here — spoilers ahead!
Today’s Strands puzzle has a handful of relatively short answers that tie directly to the “My bad!” theme. Here are all the non-spangram theme answers:
- SLIP
- SPILL
- FALTER
- TOPPLE
- BLUNDER
- STUMBLE
Each of these words captures some form of mistake, misstep, or blunder — perfectly fitting today’s “Uh-oh!” theme.
Today’s Strands Spangram
Every Strands puzzle also hides one big answer: the spangram, which stretches across the board, connecting one side to another.
Today’s spangram is:
WHOOPSIEDAISY
To find it, start with the “W” located four rows down on the far-right side of the board. From there, wind across and down the puzzle. It might look intimidating at first because it’s so long, but once you spot the “WHOOPS” part, the rest usually falls into place.
“Whoopsie-daisy” is a playful phrase often used when someone trips, falls, or makes a silly mistake — making it the perfect fit for today’s lighthearted theme!
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Final Thoughts
Today’s NYT Strands was both fun and a little bit tricky. The short, simple words like SLIP and SPILL were easy to find, but spotting the long spangram WHOOPSIEDAISY definitely took some careful scanning.
Remember, Strands puzzles vary in difficulty. Some days will be smooth sailing, while others might leave you scratching your head. Either way, part of the fun is challenging your mind and celebrating those little “aha!” moments when you finally crack the puzzle.
And hey, even if you stumbled today (pun intended!), there’s always tomorrow’s Strands to look forward to!
