Need a nudge on the April 29, 2025, NYT Strands puzzle (#422), or ready for the full reveal? Start with the spoiler-light hints below. The theme is “I’ve got you covered,” and the spangram is SHELLS.
Hints for Strands #422
These clues move from broad to specific. Stop when you have enough to keep solving.
- The theme connects things that have a shell or shell-like covering.
- For one clue, think “Turtles and the like.”
- Another clue is “But also peanuts.”
- The spangram names the theme’s shared idea directly.
How to solve the puzzle
Strands is a themed word-search game. Connect adjacent letters in any direction to form words; letters cannot be reused or crossed. Finding three unrelated words of at least four letters earns a hint that highlights one theme word. You can open the official NYT Strands game.
Full solution for April 29, 2025
Spoiler warning: The spangram and all six theme words are below.
Spangram
SHELLS
Theme words
- ARMADILLO
- NAUTILUS
- NUCLEUS
- TACO
- TORTOISE
- WALNUT
Why these words fit
The answers apply “shell” in several ways: an armadillo and tortoise have protective outer coverings, a nautilus has a shell, a taco has a shell, and a walnut has a hard outer shell. NUCLEUS adds a shell-like association to the set. The spangram, SHELLS, ties those different examples together.
Quick Recap
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