Issue #150 Sun 7 Jul
Strands hints — July 7, 2024
The Sunday grid arrives with a quiet, measured pace. It rewards the patient eye that looks past the initial layout to find the connections waiting in the margins.
Theme 3 reveals
Today's theme
You take the same route home and a single door is open that's never open, revealing a hallway lit by a dim, flickering bulb.
Visual spectrum and tonal range
SPECTRUM OF NEUTRAL TONES
Spangram 4 nudges · 9 letters
The connector word
A single nine-letter compound noun
9 letters.
Starts with G, ends with E.
GRAYSCALE
Group hint 1 reveal
Show all starting letters
Starting letters
- 1 C (8 letters)
- 2 F (5 letters)
- 3 G (8 letters)
- 4 P (8 letters)
- 5 S (5 letters)
- 6 S (5 letters)
Group hint 1 reveal
Show the first two letters of each
First two letters
- 1 CH (8 letters)
- 2 FL (5 letters)
- 3 GR (8 letters)
- 4 PL (8 letters)
- 5 SL (5 letters)
- 6 ST (5 letters)
Theme word 1 of 6 5 nudges · 8 letters
A theme word
A dusty residue left on the fingertips after a weekend spent sketching by the fire.
8 letters.
Starts with C.
Starts with CH.
CHARCOAL
Theme word 2 of 6 5 nudges · 5 letters
A theme word
A sharp-edged stone that catches a spark when struck against iron.
5 letters.
Starts with F.
Starts with FL.
FLINT
Theme word 3 of 6 5 nudges · 8 letters
A theme word
The soft, dark core of a pencil that wears down against the page.
8 letters.
Starts with G.
Starts with GR.
GRAPHITE
Theme word 4 of 6 5 nudges · 8 letters
A theme word
A precious, durable metal often found in high-end jewelry and catalytic converters.
8 letters.
Starts with P.
Starts with PL.
PLATINUM
Theme word 5 of 6 5 nudges · 5 letters
A theme word
A smooth, dark stone slab once commonly used for classroom lessons.
5 letters.
Starts with S.
Starts with SL.
SLATE
Theme word 6 of 6 5 nudges · 5 letters
A theme word
The industrial alloy that forms the backbone of modern skyscrapers and bridges.
5 letters.
Starts with S.
Starts with ST.
STEEL