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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →The Friday, July 25, 2025, NYT Strands was game #509, with the theme “Step to it!” The puzzle’s reported spangram is DANCE CLASS. Spoilers are below, with hints arranged from gentle nudges to the complete solution.
Spoiler warning: Stop before the answer section if you still want to solve game #509 yourself.
Today’s NYT Strands theme
The theme was “Step to it!”, pointing toward a setting where people learn, rehearse and perform dance. The date is July 25, 2025; Strands puzzles appear at midnight in each player’s time zone, so a different local calendar date can sometimes be attached to the same daily puzzle.
Hints for NYT Strands game #509
Hint 1: A gentle nudge
Think about a place where students prepare for a dance performance.
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Hint 2: What the answers have in common
The words describe a dance-school environment, including what is heard, worn, taught and performed.
Hint 3: The spangram’s length
The spangram contains 10 letters, counting the two words but not the space.
Hint 4: The spangram’s reported location
Published coverage places it touching the left side near the fifth row and the bottom side near the fifth column. That describes its board endpoints, not a precise letter-by-letter route.
Hint 5: Individual answer clues
- Something played during class or a performance.
- Clothing prepared for a stage performance.
- A public student dance performance.
- The person who leads instruction.
- The planned sequence of dance movements.
Words that unlock in-game hints
These are board words that can activate Strands’ hint system; they are not the final theme answers:
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- HATE
- STALE
- GRACE
- HARM
- CHAT
NYT Strands game #509 answers
Spoiler: full answers
| Answer | How it fits the theme |
|---|---|
| MUSIC | What may accompany practice or a performance. |
| COSTUME | Stage clothing worn by performers. |
| RECITAL | A student performance for an audience. |
| TEACHER | The instructor leading the class. |
| CHOREOGRAPHY | The arranged sequence of dance movements. |
| DANCE CLASS (spangram) | The 10-letter phrase tying the board together. |
The answer set is reported by TechRadar’s coverage of the puzzle, with the clue-word list and solving report corroborated by Inkl’s syndicated version.
How the answers fit “Step to it!”
This is broader than a list of dance styles. DANCE CLASS names the setting, while the other entries describe its surrounding vocabulary: music supplies the accompaniment, a teacher provides instruction, choreography organizes the movements, costumes prepare performers for the stage, and a recital presents the students’ work.
How difficult was the puzzle?
One published solver called game #509 Hard and reported using two hints. That is an individual solving experience, not an official New York Times difficulty rating.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is NYT Strands?
Strands is a daily New York Times word puzzle in which you connect adjacent letters to find words related to a hidden theme. Its spangram is the board-spanning phrase that summarizes the theme and reaches two opposite sides. For this puzzle, the published solution writes it as the two-word phrase DANCE CLASS; the connected path on the grid is what matters.
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Date check for the archive
This page covers Friday, July 25, 2025, game #509. If your game showed a different date, check your local time zone before using these answers, because the daily board changes at midnight according to the player’s location.
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