Strands hints and answers for August 11, 2025: Mashable

Today we’re cracking the code on playing Strands, the New York Times’ unique word puzzle. In Strands, you make words by connecting letters in unconventional ways. This game is a step up from your average word search—it’s all about surprising twists and varied directions. The puzzle is structured around a central theme, tying each solution together, plus there’s the “spangram,” a specific word or phrase that crosses the entire grid vertically or horizontally.

This isn’t a game you can breeze through quickly like other favorites such as Wordle and Connections. Strands is more of a head-scratcher, so if you’re feeling a bit stuck or low on time, we’ve got all the hints you need to breeze through today’s puzzle at your own pace.

Today’s puzzle focuses on words relating to excess—each word hints at a way to say what’s left when you have too much of something. The Spangram is another fun twist, spanning the puzzle grid vertically. And the answer is “Leftovers.”

Need more engaging content about games and puzzles? Head over to Mashable’s Top Stories for more!