If you are feeling stuck on today’s New York Times Strands puzzle, you aren’t alone. Today’s challenge requires a bit of an artistic eye, as the difficulty lies not just in finding the words, but in unscrambling them once you spot them.
Today’s Theme: “In the Paint”
The theme for April 9 is “In the paint.” While this phrase can sometimes refer to basketball, today’s clue—“Hand me a brush” —points you directly toward the world of fine arts.
To succeed, you need to look for various types of artistic media and materials.
Need a Boost? Use These Hints
If you are struggling to find any words at all, remember the game’s core mechanic: finding any valid words of four letters or more will help you progress. Every time you find three non-theme words, the game will reveal one of the actual theme words.
If you need a starting point, try looking for these filler words to trigger your hints:
– COME
– PATS
– SLOE
– MEAN
– PEER
The Full Answer Key
If you would rather skip the guesswork and complete the board, here are the words you need to find.
Theme Words (Non-Spangram)
These are the specific terms related to art supplies and techniques:
– ACRYLIC
– ENAMEL
– FRESCO
– PASTEL
– TEMPERA
– WATERCOLOR
The Spangram
The Spangram is the word that connects one side of the board to the other, describing the overarching category.
MEDIUM
Tip: To find it, look for the letter M located four rows down on the far-left vertical column, then trace it horizontally across the board.
Why Strands Can Be Tricky
Unlike Wordle or Connections, which rely on specific word lists, Strands relies on thematic association. The difficulty often stems from how “loose” a theme can be. A theme like “In the paint” is clever because it uses a double entendre—playing on both sports terminology and artistic mediums—to catch players off guard.
Summary: Today’s puzzle centers on art mediums; look for words like Acrylic and Watercolor, and use the spangram Medium to complete the board.
