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Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →NYT Strands game #431, dated Thursday, May 8, 2025, has the theme “Well, fancy that!” Use the hint ladder below to reveal as much—or as little—as you need before checking the six theme words and the spangram.
Theme clue
Well, fancy that! Think of words describing a luxurious, showy or decorative style.
Theme-word initials
The six regular answers begin with GA, SN, EX, DE, OR and LA.
Spangram hint
The spangram has eight letters. It runs vertically from the top to the bottom of the board, starting and ending in the fourth column. Its initials are OO.
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Full answers
Spoiler warning: The complete answer list is below.
- GAUDY
- SNAZZY
- EXTRAVAGANT
- DELUXE
- ORNATE
- LAVISH
- Spangram: OOH SHINY (OOHSHINY)
How Strands works
Players form theme words by dragging or tapping letters. Theme words fill the board without overlapping, and the spangram describes the theme while connecting two opposite sides. Finding three non-theme words earns an in-game hint that reveals letters in a theme word. Parade attributes these instructions to the New York Times.
For this puzzle, TechRadar lists SAINT, LOON, HINTS, SALE, SHAVE and DUES as non-theme words that can help earn hints. The answer facts are also listed by Parade.
Quick Recap
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