This archived NYT Strands puzzle is game #549, from Wednesday, September 3, 2025. Its theme is “That’s so sweet!” Read the hint first, then use the spoiler warning to decide whether to check the answers.
Theme hint for Strands #549
Think of different kinds of sugar. The theme points to sweeteners, including forms and varieties you might find in a pantry.
Spoilers: answers for September 3, 2025
Stop here if you want to solve the board yourself. The spangram is SUGARY. The six other theme answers are:
- CUBE
- BROWN
- GRANULATED
- INVERT
- POWDERED
- TURBINADO
The two published answer lists differ on one word: Parade prints POWERED, while TechRadar gives POWDERED. POWDERED is the more coherent reading alongside the other sugar terms, and it is the answer listed by TechRadar. TechRadar’s September 3 guide describes SUGARY as touching the left edge at row five and the right edge at row four; Parade’s guide says the spangram runs mostly horizontally.
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Clue words are not theme answers
TechRadar lists URBAN, PANDA, PAIN, ANGER, LATE, and SINGER as words that can earn in-game hints. They are not among the puzzle’s theme answers.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How Strands hints work
Parade’s account of the New York Times instructions says players drag or tap letters to form theme words; when tapping, double-tap the final letter to submit. Found theme words turn blue and fill the board without overlapping. The spangram describes the theme, connects two opposite sides of the board, and can consist of two words. Finding three non-theme words earns an in-game hint that reveals letters in a theme word; if a hint is already active, the next one shows the letter order.
TechRadar’s writer rated this puzzle Hard and reported using two hints. That is one writer’s experience, not an objective difficulty rating or a prediction of how many hints another player will need.
These archived answers are corroborated by secondary puzzle guides: TechRadar and Parade.
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