NYT Strands today — hints, spangram and answers for game #238 (Sunday, October 27 2024)

NYT Strands on a cellphone
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide/NY Times/Shutterstock)
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Need a bit of help with NYT Strands today? Today's theme — "Best of the best" — is rather tricky. In fact, I didn't quite get it until I had every answer on the board!

Below, we've compiled some useful hints for Strands #238, as well as the answers, should it come to that. We'll start off with some clues, before building up to the full answer for Strands #238, so read on if you need a little help.

Warning: Spoilers lie ahead for Strands #238.

Today's NYT Strands answer — Today's theme and hints

The official theme for NYT Strands #238 is... "Best of the best".

And here's an unofficial hint from me: "Top dogs".

If you're still in the dark, here are some useful words to give you those valuable clue tokens:

  • PEAR
  • DEAL
  • CARE
  • PROPS
  • HIDE
  • FILE
  • CHIDE
  • CORK

Still struggling? The spangram will give you a hint about the connection word. Today, it starts with 'P' and ends with 'R'.

Scroll down to find out what it is...

It's PERFECTPAIR.

Today's Strands answers

So, what are today's Strands answers for game #238?

Drumroll, please...

  • CLASS
  • PARTY
  • CROP
  • LITTER
  • CREAM
  • PICK
  • HEAD
  • LIFE

Strands #238

(Image credit: Alan Martin)

...and the spangram was PERFECTPAIR.

Strands #238

“Best of the best”

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Hi Strands fans. I'm embarrassed to say I didn't quite get the topic of this puzzle until I had every answer on the board. That's despite using no clues and getting the spangram - PERFECTPAIR - straight away.

I imagine you've figured it out, but if not I'll explain at the end. But first, here's how I got there.

After getting the spangram, I assumed it would be positive nouns, hence me getting CLASS first. PARTY, CROP and LITTER were just words I found on the way to completing the bottom half.

The top half followed in much the same way, with me just seeing words and connecting them at random. I started with CREAM, followed by PICK. I then managed to divide the eight remaining letters into HEAD and LIFE.

So what's the connection? The words on the bottom half pair with the answers from the bottom segment to make well-known phrases to describe when something is 'the best'.

That means "CREAM of the CROP", "PICK of the LITTER", "LIFE of the PARTY" and "HEAD of the CLASS". A clever puzzle, but one that was completely over my head until the very end!

Yesterday's Strands answers

Reading this in a later time zone? You can find the full article on yesterday's Strands answers for game #237 right here.

Alan Martin

Freelance contributor Alan has been writing about tech for over a decade, covering phones, drones and everything in between. Previously Deputy Editor of tech site Alphr, his words are found all over the web and in the occasional magazine too. When not weighing up the pros and cons of the latest smartwatch, you'll probably find him tackling his ever-growing games backlog. Or, more likely, playing Spelunky for the millionth time.