NYT Strands game #517, for Saturday, August 2, 2025, has the theme “Pretty as a picture.” Need a nudge before seeing the solution? The answers are photo-editing actions. The full spangram and seven theme words appear below a spoiler warning.
Strands hints for August 2, 2025
Theme and spangram hint
The theme is “Pretty as a picture.” Think of actions you might use to edit a photograph. The 11-letter spangram runs from the left edge of the grid to the right, with its endpoints in row six.
Optional clue-word examples
TechRadar lists MATTER, FORT, RULER, JADE, REST, and LIAR as examples of words that can unlock in-game hints. WordHint gives a different set: ACES, BEAD, CARE, DART, EARS, FAIL, FAIR, FARE, FARM, FART, FEAR, and FEAT. These are source-specific examples, not an official or exhaustive list of accepted words.
Spoilers: full Strands solution
Stop here if you still want to solve the board yourself.
Spangram: PHOTOEDITOR
Theme answers: ADJUST, BLUR, CROP, ERASE, FILTER, MARKUP, ROTATE
Why the spangram is PHOTOEDITOR
TechRadar, WordHint, and the Strands Solution archive agree on PHOTOEDITOR, and TechRadar and WordHint describe it as an 11-letter spangram. Forbes prints PHOTOEDITING instead, but that conflicts with the other three sources; PHOTOEDITOR is the corroborated answer for this puzzle.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How Strands works
Strands is a word-search-style puzzle played on a six-by-eight letter grid. Find words that fit the day’s theme, plus a spangram that connects opposite sides of the board. Themes can point to fill-in-the-blank phrases, stages in a process, members of a category, synonyms, or homophones, according to the New York Times description quoted by Forbes.
Quick Recap
Rank #3
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