The October 21, 2025, NYT Strands puzzle (game #597) has the theme “Banding together.” If you want a nudge before seeing the solutions, start with the clue ladder below. The full word list and spangram are in a separate spoiler section.
Hints for Strands game #597
Try these hints in order and stop when you have enough to solve the board.
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- Theme: “Banding together.”
- Extra nudge: It’s all part of the show.
- Starting letters: OP, ST, LI, ME, EN, HE.
- Spangram length: 10 letters. It runs from the left edge in the third row to the right edge in the fourth row.
How to get an in-game hint
Strands uses a six-by-eight grid. Connect adjacent letters horizontally, vertically, or diagonally to form theme words and the spangram, which describes the theme and touches two opposite sides. The game uses every letter once across the answers.
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Answers for October 21, 2025
Spoilers below: the complete solution is revealed here.
- OPENER
- STAGE
- ENCORE
- HEADLINER
- MERCHANDISE
- Spangram: LIVECONCERT
The puzzle is a dated game, not the October 21 puzzle for every year. The date here refers specifically to Tuesday, October 21, 2025, game #597.
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The date and answer list are consistent across Forbes, Parade, and TechRadar.
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