NYT Strands today — hints, spangram and answers for game #239 (Monday, October 28 2024)

NYT Strands on a cellphone
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide/NY Times/Shutterstock)
Strands today: Quick menu

Need a bit of help with NYT Strands today? Today's theme — "Fall fun" — may be very hard for those outside of the United States to get a grip on.

Below, we've compiled some useful hints for Strands #239, 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 #239, so read on if you need a little help.

Warning: Spoilers lie ahead for Strands #239.

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

The official theme for NYT Strands #239 is... "Fall fun".

And here's an unofficial hint from me: "Autumn harvest".

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

  • PULPS
  • HAZE
  • CUTS
  • SINK
  • DIRE
  • CINCH
  • GRAY
  • HUNCH

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

Scroll down to find out what it is...

It's ORCHARDS.

Today's Strands answers

So, what are today's Strands answers for game #239?

Drumroll, please...

  • PUMPKINS
  • APPLES
  • CIDER
  • MAZE
  • DOUGHNUTS
  • HAYRIDES

Strands #239

(Image credit: Alan Martin)

...and the spangram was ORCHARDS.

Strands #239

“Fall fun”

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Hi Strands fans. This is one I just had to muddle through, not living in the United States. The phenomenon of visiting ORCHARDS recreationally isn't really a thing in the UK - and we certainly wouldn't get DOUGHNUTS while visiting.

Nonetheless, I got through without using any clues as I was able to get a couple of fall crops - PUMPKINS and APPLES - in opposite corners of the board straight away. I then figured out that the letter 'Z' was part of the word MAZE, which cleared a path for the spangram of ORCHARDS.

I still didn't really know what I was doing at this point, so just had to randomly enter plausible words, starting with CIDER. That cleared a straight path for the word DOUGHNUTS, even if I didn't really understand the connection.

Only one word was left in the top right section of the grid. I decoded the anagram of DSIREHYA, spelling out HAYRIDES to complete a rather fiddly puzzle.

Yesterday's Strands answers

Reading this in a later time zone? You can find the full article on yesterday's Strands answers for game #238 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.