Issue #721 Tue 9 Sep
Strands hints — September 9, 2025
The ink is dry, the grid is set, and the edges are sharp. A quiet exercise in finding the definitive boundaries of the board.
Theme 3 reveals
Today's theme
You take the same route home and a single door is open that's never open.
Visual contrasts and binary states
ABSENCE OF CHROMATIC VARIATION
Spangram 4 nudges · 13 letters
The connector word
A compound adjective with three distinct parts
13 letters.
Starts with B, ends with E.
BLACKANDWHITE
Group hint 1 reveal
Show all starting letters
Starting letters
- 1 D (4 letters)
- 2 D (6 letters)
- 3 N (9 letters)
- 4 O (4 letters)
- 5 P (7 letters)
- 6 P (5 letters)
Group hint 1 reveal
Show the first two letters of each
First two letters
- 1 DI (4 letters)
- 2 DO (6 letters)
- 3 NE (9 letters)
- 4 OR (4 letters)
- 5 PE (7 letters)
- 6 PI (5 letters)
Theme word 1 of 6 5 nudges · 4 letters
A theme word
A pair of numbered cubes rattled inside a leather cup.
4 letters.
Starts with D.
Starts with DI.
DICE
Theme word 2 of 6 5 nudges · 6 letters
A theme word
A row of tiles tipped over one by one in a long, clacking chain.
6 letters.
Starts with D.
Starts with DO.
DOMINO
Theme word 3 of 6 5 nudges · 9 letters
A theme word
Ink-stained fingers unfold the broadsheet on a rainy Tuesday morning.
9 letters.
Starts with N.
Starts with NE.
NEWSPAPER
Theme word 4 of 6 5 nudges · 4 letters
A theme word
A sleek, dorsal fin breaks the surface of the cold northern waters.
4 letters.
Starts with O.
Starts with OR.
ORCA
Theme word 5 of 6 5 nudges · 7 letters
A theme word
They waddle across the ice in a tuxedo-like formation.
7 letters.
Starts with P.
Starts with PE.
PENGUIN
Theme word 6 of 6 5 nudges · 5 letters
A theme word
Eighty-eight keys waiting for a delicate touch to start the recital.
5 letters.
Starts with P.
Starts with PI.
PIANO