Strandshas yet another challenging puzzle to ponder over. If you are stuck on this one, you aren’t alone; this puzzle has a bunch of difficult words hidden inside its jumbled-up letter grid, themed around a challenging concept.
Thankfully, you can find all the help you need in the sections below. Inside these, you can find everything from general hints to spoilers, and more. No matter what you need to complete this one, it will be in this article.
The NYT Games Strands Puzzle #216 May 12, 2025
TheStrandspuzzle for today has the clueNo Way!There are eight things to find including the Spangram and seven themed words.
New York Times Games Strands Clues
Inside the sections below, you can find spoiler-free hints for theStrands. If you already knowhow to playStrands, you know there is an in-game hint system that gives away whole words; these hints are spoiler free and useful to help you get closer to the theme.
Hint 3: This isn’t true; this is a con.
Spoilers for Two of the Words in Today’s Strands
Below, you can find two different spoiled words for thisfree-to-play puzzle game. Open up the expandable sections below to see the word and where it belongs in the puzzle’s letter grid.
Word 2: Fake
The Answer to Today’s New York Times Games Strands
The answer to thisminimalist puzzle gameis in the section below. Inside, you may find a screenshot of a completed puzzle along with all the words you need to complete it yourself.
The category for today isThat’s Unreal. The words are Humbug, Quack, Fake, Sham, Charlatan, Hoax, and Phony.
Today’s Strands Explained
Today’s theme and clue might not make much sense to you, even after the puzzle is complete. If you are still stuck on this one, check out the full explanation for how it all goes together in thischallenging puzzle game.
The clueNo Way!refers to how all the themed words mean something is fake or a con. That’s the reason the Spangram isThat’s Unreal, as in things that are not real are unreal.
Want to play? Check out theNew York Times Games Strandswebsite available on almost any device with a browser.
