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NYT Strands puzzle #429 for Tuesday, May 6, 2025, has the theme hint “I’m in lobe.” The answers are all earring styles, and the spangram is EARRINGS. Start with the gentle clue below; the full solution is behind a clear spoiler warning.
Hints for Strands #429
The theme hint is “I’m in lobe.” If you need another nudge, think of a familiar kind of jewelry worn through or around the ear. Forbes also offered the hint “Ear we go.”
Starting-letter clues
For a stronger clue without the full answers, the theme words begin with TE, EA, CH, CL, HO, PL, CU, and ST. The spangram begins with EA. These starts are presented in the order of each answer’s first appearance on the grid, reading left to right and then top to bottom.
How Strands hints work
Strands is a word-search puzzle played on a six-by-eight grid. Connect adjacent letters vertically, horizontally, or diagonally; a word can change direction as it moves across the board. Theme answers fill the grid without overlapping. The spangram describes the theme and connects at least two opposite sides.
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Finding three valid non-theme words earns a hint that highlights letters in a theme answer. If a hint is already active, another hint reveals the order of those letters.
Spoiler warning: spangram and answers
The clues below reveal the solution. Stop here if you want to solve the grid yourself.
Spangram
EARRINGS
Parade describes the spangram’s path as mostly vertical, from top to bottom.
All theme answers
- TEARDROP
- CHANDELIER
- CLIP ON (also written as CLIPON)
- HOOP
- PLUG
- CUFF
- STUD
Along with the seven earring-style answers, EARRINGS is the spangram. Some answer guides count it as one of eight entries; others list seven theme words plus the spangram.
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Play Strands
You can play Strands on the NYT Games website or in the NYT Games app.
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