Issue #640 Sat 21 Jun
Strands hints — June 21, 2025
A Saturday grid that asks for a bit of patience as the connections begin to emerge from the noise. Take your time with the intersections.
Theme 3 reveals
Today's theme
You open the kitchen drawer looking for a specific tool, but find only dust and a single bent paperclip.
Quantities and states of emptiness
ABSENCE OF VALUE
Spangram 4 nudges · 11 letters
The connector word
A single, elongated compound word
11 letters.
Starts with D, ends with T.
DIDDLYSQUAT
Group hint 1 reveal
Show all starting letters
Starting letters
- 1 B (6 letters)
- 2 N (4 letters)
- 3 N (6 letters)
- 4 N (7 letters)
- 5 Z (4 letters)
- 6 Z (5 letters)
- 7 Z (5 letters)
Group hint 1 reveal
Show the first two letters of each
First two letters
- 1 BU (6 letters)
- 2 NA (4 letters)
- 3 NA (6 letters)
- 4 NO (7 letters)
- 5 ZE (4 letters)
- 6 ZI (5 letters)
- 7 ZI (5 letters)
Theme word 1 of 7 5 nudges · 6 letters
A theme word
What you have in your pocket when you forget your wallet on a busy morning.
6 letters.
Starts with B.
Starts with BU.
BUPKIS
Theme word 2 of 7 5 nudges · 4 letters
A theme word
The amount of progress made on a project that hasn't even been started yet.
4 letters.
Starts with N.
Starts with NA.
NADA
Theme word 3 of 7 5 nudges · 6 letters
A theme word
A score of one hundred percent inverted.
6 letters.
Starts with N.
Starts with NA.
NAUGHT
Theme word 4 of 7 5 nudges · 7 letters
A theme word
The contents of a box marked empty.
7 letters.
Starts with N.
Starts with NO.
NOTHING
Theme word 5 of 7 5 nudges · 4 letters
A theme word
The starting point on a standard thermometer before the temperature drops.
4 letters.
Starts with Z.
Starts with ZE.
ZERO
Theme word 6 of 7 5 nudges · 5 letters
A theme word
What you find when you look for a specific item and come up empty-handed.
5 letters.
Starts with Z.
Starts with ZI.
ZILCH
Theme word 7 of 7 5 nudges · 5 letters
A theme word
A lighter that lacks the fuel to produce a flame.
5 letters.
Starts with Z.
Starts with ZI.
ZIPPO