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Spoilers: NYT Strands puzzle #196, dated September 15, 2024, has the theme “On the rocks.” Its spangram is OLDFASHIONED; the six other answers are BITTERS, CHERRY, ORANGE, SUGAR, WATER, and WHISKEY.
Strands #196 answers for September 15, 2024
The puzzle’s theme is “On the rocks.” The spangram is OLDFASHIONED (also written OLD-FASHIONED), and the remaining theme words are:
- BITTERS
- CHERRY
- ORANGE
- SUGAR
- WATER
- WHISKEY
How the answers fit the theme
The six shorter answers are ingredients associated with an Old Fashioned cocktail, which the spangram names. The puzzle’s “On the rocks” theme points to that cocktail connection; the answer list does not establish a single required recipe or set of proportions.
How to use hints if you are solving
Strands is a word-search-style puzzle built around a theme. Try Hard Guides describes its mechanics this way: letters may be connected in any direction, without reusing or crossing them, and finding three non-theme words earns a hint that reveals a theme word. This is a secondary guide’s summary of the game mechanics, not an official NYT rules quotation. Try Hard Guides’ Strands #196 guide
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