Today’s NYT Crossword: Clues, Anagrams, and Solutions for Thursday, May 16

The New York Times has introduced a new daily puzzle called Strands, a challenging twist on the classic word search. Players will need a sharp eye and quick thinking to solve this puzzle.

Similar to popular games like Wordle and Connections, Strands can be tricky to crack on some days. If you find yourself stuck, don’t worry – help is available. You can check out the solved puzzle for today’s Strands to get back on track.

To play Strands, players must uncover hidden “theme words” within a grid of letters. By manipulating letters through dragging or tapping, players can form words and confirm them by double-tapping the final letter. Correct words will be highlighted in blue, indicating they are no longer selectable.

Even if you find non-theme words, they can still be beneficial. For every three non-theme words that are at least four letters long, a hint will be provided by revealing the letters of one of the theme words for unscrambling.

Every letter in the grid is used to spell out the theme words without any overlap. Each puzzle includes a special “spangram” that touches two opposite sides of the board and describes the puzzle’s theme. When found, the spangram will be highlighted in yellow.

Today’s theme for Strands is “Tasty!” with words like UMAMI, TART, SPICY, PIQUANT, SWEET, SOUR, SALTY, and BITTER to uncover. The goal is to complete the puzzle quickly and efficiently without relying too heavily on hints. So, put your word skills to the test and enjoy the challenge of Strands!