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Need a nudge for NYT Strands game #422? The theme is “I’ve got you covered.” Start with the spoiler-light clues below, then open the answer key when you’re ready.
Hints for Strands #422
The puzzle was published Tuesday, April 29, 2025. Its theme, “I’ve got you covered,” points to things associated with shells or protective coverings.
- Gentle hint: Think of animals, food, and a part of a cell.
- More revealing hint: The answers include two shelled animals, a shelled sea creature, a nut, a food item, and a cell structure.
- Spangram hint: The word describing the theme is six letters long and plural.
How to solve the board
In Strands, connect letters in any direction to form words; letters cannot be reused or crossed. Theme words turn blue, while the spangram—which describes the theme and stretches from one side of the board to the other—turns yellow. According to Try Hard Guides, finding three qualifying words of at least four letters that are not theme answers earns a hint revealing one theme word.
Full answer key
Spoilers below. The answer guide at Try Hard Guides and the StrandsSolution archive agree on the solution.
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- ARMADILLO
- NAUTILUS
- NUCLEUS
- TACO
- TORTOISE
- WALNUT
Spangram: SHELLS
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why these words fit the theme
The answers connect through the idea of a shell or protective covering: armadillos and tortoises have protective outer coverings, nautiluses are shelled marine animals, and walnuts and tacos have shells. NUCLEUS fits through the cell’s nuclear envelope. That shared idea accounts for the theme “I’ve got you covered.”
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