Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesSpoilers ahead: These graduated hints and answers are for the NYT Strands puzzle dated Wednesday, August 27, 2025, game #542. Start with the gentle nudge, or jump to the full word list if you’re ready.
August 27 Strands hints
The theme is “Go with the flow.” If you want to solve the board yourself, use these clues in order:
- Think of places where water gathers or meets the coast.
- The spangram has 13 letters and begins with B.
- The spangram is BODIES OF WATER.
Full answers for Strands #542
The seven theme words are:
- BAYOU
- HARBOR
- LAGOON
- LAKE
- OCEAN
- POND
- SWAMP
The spangram is BODIES OF WATER, entered on the grid as BODIESOFWATER. The answer set and theme are consistent across TechRadar, Strands Unlimited, Try Hard Guides, and the Times of India.
In-game hint words
These are not theme answers. The answer guide at TechRadar lists POOR, BLANK, WASTER, CHEF, SLOP, and STRAW as words players can find to earn in-game hints toward theme answers.
How Strands hints work
Secondary answer guides describe Strands as a 6×8 letter grid: connect adjacent letters to form theme words, and find the special spangram that summarizes the theme and stretches between opposite sides of the board. They also describe an in-game hint mechanic in which finding three non-theme words reveals a hint toward a theme answer. These mechanics are described by TechRadar, Strands Unlimited, and Try Hard Guides; an official NYT rules page was not among the cited sources.
Quick Recap
Rank #3
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