Strands Hints for Today
· No. 961
Four hints, from what the theme means to the first letter of every word. Open only as many as you need — the words stay hidden until you tap for them.
Hint 1 · The theme
Think back to recess. Today's clue is a children's pastime almost everyone knows, told in birds.
Hint 2 · The spangram
It's the name of the pastime itself. It is three words and 13 letters long, and the first two words are the same. It runs from the left edge of the board to the right edge.
Hint 3 · Theme words
The other words describe how it goes: where children gather at recess, the shape they sit in, going around slowly, choosing someone, the run that follows, and a general word for any activity with rules. Two may slow you down. One is a six-letter word for choosing that sounds a bit formal, so think past the simpler words. The other is the long one, the place outside a school where kids spend recess.
Hint 4 · First letters
The six theme words start with C, C, G, P, S and W. The spangram starts with D, has 13 letters and runs from the left edge to the right edge.
Show today’s answer
- Spangram: DUCK DUCK GOOSE
- WALK
- SELECT
- CHASE
- PLAYGROUND
- CIRCLE
- GAME
SELECT was the sneaky one, since most of us think of tapping or picking someone rather than such a formal word. PLAYGROUND is the longest theme word, so finding it early opens up the rest.
How our Strands hints work
Hint 1 explains the clue
Strands clues are short and sly. We say in plain words what today's clue is getting at.
Hint 2 points at the spangram
The long word that crosses the board. Find it, and the rest of the board gets much smaller.
Hints 3 and 4 get specific
What the theme words have in common, then the first letter of each one. That's usually enough to finish.