NYT Strands game #470, published Monday, June 16, 2025, has the theme “Key notes.” Want a nudge before the answers? The theme points toward musical compositions. The full answer list and spangram appear below the spoiler warning.
Hints for Strands #470
The puzzle’s theme is “Key notes.” Its six theme words are names of musical forms or compositions. In the grid, the spangram describes the theme and runs between two opposite edges.
Words that earn in-game hints
Find these non-theme words to earn hint progress: REPEAT, NEEDS, LICE, SAUCE, PLATE, and CLUE. Three non-theme words earn one hint, which reveals the letters of a theme word.
Spangram path hint
The 11-letter spangram starts at the top edge in column 3 and ends at the bottom edge in column 3. Parade’s first-letter cues for its words are ET, SU, PR, MIN, SO, NO, and PI.
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Spoilers: June 16 Strands answers
Stop here if you want to solve the board yourself.
Six theme answers
- ETUDE
- SUITE
- MINUET
- NOCTURNE
- SONATA
- PRELUDE
Spangram
PIANO PIECES
The six theme answers and the spangram make seven theme words in total. In the game, theme words are highlighted blue and the spangram yellow. Adjacent letters can connect horizontally, vertically, or diagonally; each letter is used once across the answers.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How Strands hints and the spangram work
Strands is played on a six-by-eight letter grid. Find theme words to fill the board; the spangram summarizes the theme and touches two opposite sides. Non-theme words advance hint progress at three words per hint, and each hint reveals the letters of a theme word.
Quick Recap
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Sources
- TechRadar’s June 15, 2025 guide lists the theme, hint-credit words, answer key, and spangram’s length and edge position.
- Parade’s June 16, 2025 guide provides the rules summary, first-letter cues, and answer key.
- Forbes’ June 15, 2025 guide independently confirms the answers and gameplay details.
- The Play Strands NYT archive records the puzzle and grid context; it is a secondary archive.
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