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NYT Strands #432 for Friday, May 9, 2025, has the theme clue “Outsiders.” Need a nudge before the solutions? The words are associated with an overnight stay in the woods or a Scout trip. Spoilers are revealed in stages below.
Hints for Strands on May 9
Gentle hint
Think about what you might bring along for a night outdoors.
Starting-letter hints
The seven answers begin with BA, TE, GR, CO, LA, TH, and CA. The order can vary between published guides; CA is the start of the spangram.
Spangram for May 9, 2025
Spoiler: The spangram is CAMPING GEAR. It runs mostly horizontally from left to right, according to Parade’s guide.
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All NYT Strands answers for May 9
Full solution spoiler: The six theme words and the spangram are:
- BACKPACK
- TENT
- GRILL
- COOLER
- LANTERN
- THERMOS
- CAMPING GEAR — spangram
How Strands hints work
Strands is a word-search game played on a six-by-eight letter grid. Theme words can trace paths through letters connected horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, and a path may change direction. The spangram names the shared connection and spans at least two sides of the grid, though it can start or end away from an edge. Find three valid words that are not theme answers to unlock a hint highlighting a theme word. Forbes’ May 9 puzzle guide describes these mechanics.
Quick Recap
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