NYT Strands today – my hints and answers for May 9 (#432)
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Looking for a different day?
A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Thursday, May 8 (game #431).
Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.
Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.
• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Outsiders
Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
LORE
TRAIL
CRAMP
COOL
GRIT
RENTAL
• Spangram has 11 letters
First side: left, 5th row
Last side: right, 5th row
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
The answers to today's Strands, game #432, are…
BACKPACK
TENT
GRILL
COOLER
LANTERN
THERMOS
SPANGRAM: CAMPING GEAR
My rating: Easy
My score: 1 hint
Am I overthinking this or is today's spangram in the shape of a TENT?
Camping is something that I have a love-hate relationship with. I have always liked the idea of it, communing with nature, bonhomie around the campfire, stripping life back to its essentials.
However, I've always found the reality uncomfortable and cold. This is no doubt down to my lack of organizational skills, hardyness and equipment – and man do you need a lot of equipment, and not just a GRILL, a THERMOS and a LANTERN.
When I was younger it gave me independence and freedom to misbehave. Now that I'm older and less resilient, I prefer concrete and the great indoors.
How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.
GAUDY
SNAZZY
EXTRAVAGANT
DELUXE
ORNATE
LAVISH
SPANGRAM: OOH SHINY
Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

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