NYT Strands today — hints, spangram and answers for game #332 (Wednesday, January 29 2025)

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

Need some assistance with NYT Strands today? Today's theme — "Show of hands" — is a rather cunning play on words.

Below, we've compiled some useful hints for Strands #332, 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 #332, so read on if you need a little help.

Warning: Spoilers lie ahead for Strands #332.

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

The official theme for NYT Strands #332 is... "Show of hands".

And here's an unofficial hint from me: "Who's pulling the strings?"

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

  • SOCKET
  • ANGER
  • VOLE
  • STAPLE
  • TEAR
  • DANGER
  • PETS

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 PUPPETMASTER.

Today's Strands answers

So, what are today's Strands answers for game #332?

Drumroll, please...

  • FINGER
  • SOCK
  • GLOVE
  • STICK
  • SHADOW
  • MARIONETTE

Strands #332

(Image credit: Alan Martin)

...and the spangram was PUPPETMASTER.

Strands #332

“Show of hands”

🔵💡🔵🔵

🔵🔵💡🔵

🟡

Hi Strands fans. Bravo to the NYT's puzzle setters for an excellent theme today. "Show of hands" is a very clever play on words that sent me in completely the wrong direction.

When I found the word FINGER in the bottom-right corner, I thought I was simply on the hunt for parts of the hand. But when I failed to find "wrist", "thumb" or "knuckle" I accepted defeat and took a clue, which revealed SOCK. After a moment's confusion, I realized this was about types of puppet.

Annoyingly, I could see the word "puppet" spelt across the board, and felt sure I had the spangram when I connected "puppetshow". But it was rejected, so I went back to collecting types of puppet instead.

I found GLOVE diagonally below SOCK, followed by STICK below it and SHADOW in the bottom-left corner.

I now had one answer and the spangram to find, but I couldn't tear them apart so reluctantly used another clue. It revealed MARIONETTE in the top-left corner, which finally let me figure out where the spangram went.

It was, of course, PUPPETMASTER.

Yesterday's Strands answers

Reading this in a later time zone? You can find the full article on yesterday's Strands answers for game #331 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.