NYT Strands hints, answers and help for May 20 hints, spangram and theme: Today's Strands puzzle celebrates fine dining with a delicious word challenge
NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for May 20, #443: All You Need to Know About Today's Puzzle Theme and Solution-
If you're stuck on today's NYT Strands puzzle for May 20, 2025 (#443), don't worry—you're not alone. This puzzle took a fancy turn, and the theme just might make you crave a night out at an upscale restaurant. In this article, we'll walk you through everything you need: the theme, the hint, the spangram, all the answers, and even a few helpful word suggestions to unlock hints during the game.
What is the theme for today's Strands puzzle on may 20?
Theme: "Oh, of course!"
That might sound vague at first, but the follow-up clue really helps set the mood. The hint accompanying today's Strands puzzle is "Elegant eats"—which points clearly toward fine dining. Everything in today's puzzle relates to courses or dishes you'd typically find at a fancy restaurant.
Play Video
Pause
Skip Backward
Skip Forward
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
0:00
Loaded
:
0%
0:00
Stream Type
LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
1x
Playback Rate
Chapters
Chapters
Descriptions
descriptions off
, selected
Captions
captions settings
, opens captions settings dialog
captions off
, selected
Audio Track
default
, selected
Picture-in-Picture
Fullscreen
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text
Color
White
Black
Red
Green
Blue
Yellow
Magenta
Cyan
Opacity
Opaque
Semi-Transparent
Text Background
Color
Black
White
Red
Green
Blue
Yellow
Magenta
Cyan
Opacity
Opaque
Semi-Transparent
Transparent
Caption Area Background
Color
Black
White
Red
Green
Blue
Yellow
Magenta
Cyan
Opacity
Transparent
Semi-Transparent
Opaque
Font Size
50%
75%
100%
125%
150%
175%
200%
300%
400%
Text Edge Style
None
Raised
Depressed
Uniform
Drop shadow
Font Family
Proportional Sans-Serif
Monospace Sans-Serif
Proportional Serif
Monospace Serif
Casual
Script
Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values
Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Specialist Down Jackets for Ultralight Adventures
Trek Kit India
Learn More
Undo
So if you were picturing white tablecloths and multi-course meals, you were right on track.
How does the Strands puzzle work and how can I unlock theme words?
In The New York Times Strands puzzle, your goal is to find hidden words related to the daily theme. But here's the twist: for every three valid words of four letters or more that you discover (even if they're not theme words), the game rewards you by revealing one theme word.
Live Events
Here are some words you can use to unlock in-game hints today:
SITE
FINE
SINE
DINE
PEAS
TEEN
PEER
STEEP
DEER
SEED
SEEN
POET
TREE
NOPE
SEES
These words aren't necessarily part of the theme but are handy tools to earn more help from the system.
What are the answers for today's Strands puzzle?
Below are the theme words you need to solve the Strands puzzle for May 20. They all fit the idea of "elegant eats" or a fine dining experience.
Theme words:
SOUP
SALAD
CHEESE
ENTREE
DESSERT
APPETIZERS
Each of these represents a typical part of a multi-course meal, which ties directly into the idea of fine dining.
What is today's Strands Spangram and where to find it?
This special word stretches across the board from one end to the other. It's the key to tying the theme together and completing the puzzle fully. To locate it, start at the 'F' located three letters down on the far-left column, and follow the path to spell out FINEDINING.
Once you've found the spangram, you'll see the theme click into place.
What are the toughest strands puzzles from recent weeks?
If you've been playing Strands for a while, you might have noticed that some days are definitely tougher than others. Here are a few recent examples that had many players scratching their heads:
Dated Slang (Jan. 21): Words like PHAT stumped players unfamiliar with older lingo.
Thar She Blows! (Jan. 15): Marine biology terms like BALEEN or RIGHT proved tough.
Off the Hook (Jan. 9): Another sea creature-themed puzzle with tricky words like BIGEYE or SKIPJACK.
If those felt challenging, you're not alone. Strands is designed to test both vocabulary and theme recognition.
On today's NYT Strands puzzle
Today's puzzle felt like an elegant nod to upscale dining. With a theme like 'Oh, of course!' and the clue 'Elegant eats,' everything pointed toward a classic fine dining experience. Whether you found SOUP or DESSERT first, each word brought you closer to solving the full picture.
For puzzle lovers, this kind of thematic variety keeps the daily Strands both fresh and engaging. And if today's challenge left you hungry for more—maybe it's time to make that dinner reservation too.
FAQs:
Q1: What is the
NYT Strands May 20 2025
theme?
The theme is 'Oh, of course!' with a clue of
elegant eats
.
Q2: What is the Strands May 20 spangram?
The spangram is
FINEDINING
, tied to the puzzle's fine dining theme.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
29 minutes ago
- Time of India
"Ab aayega Captain Cool powder, oil, deodorant": Fans imagine the wackiest products Dhoni could launch
As news broke that former Indian cricket captain MS Dhoni has filed a trademark application for the phrase 'Captain Cool', social media lit up with a flurry of hilarious and surprisingly informed reactions. The term, famously linked to Dhoni's unshakeable calm on the cricket field, is now set to become official property. According to the Trade Marks Registry portal, Dhoni's application, filed on June 5 and listed under Class 41 (sports training, coaching, and facilities), was accepted and advertised on June 16. While the trademark is focused on sports services, that didn't stop netizens from imagining a full-blown product universe. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like These Photos Captured the Exact Wrong Moment Read More Undo 'Ab aayega Captain Cool powder, oil, deodorant,' joked one user, summing up the mood online. — Being_Humor (@Being_Humor) Live Events On X (formerly Twitter), another user cheekily imagined a lineup of Captain Cool-branded underwear, condoms, and slippers, before clarifying that the registration is strictly for sports-related services: 'nothing cheeky like that just yet!' — ramnit1983 (@ramnit1983) Another user weighed in on the trend of celebrities trademarking fan-given nicknames: 'Next he'll trademark Thala. Someone will trademark King, Hitman etc. One has already done for letters S R and K.' — rkver2 (@rkver2) Many saw Dhoni's move as a strategic step towards launching his own sports academy or coaching brand. 'Bhai Class 41 is for training, entertainment and sporting,' tweeted another user. 'Woh academy khol raha hai apni. Tael sabun ki dukaan nahi.' — sharesandlife (@sharesandlife) Some couldn't resist taking it a step further. A parody list of future endorsements imagined by @ashishdeora69 included: Captain Cool Saria (construction steel) Captain Cool Dairy Products Captain Cool Tractor ('Ranchi farmers ki choices') And of course, Captain Cool chaddi-baniyan — ashishdeora69 (@ashishdeora69) While Dhoni hasn't commented on the filing, the timing is notable. The former skipper was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame earlier this month, alongside greats like Matthew Hayden and Hashim Amla. The ICC praised Dhoni for his 'extraordinary consistency, fitness and longevity,' and called him 'one of the game's greatest finishers, leaders and wicketkeepers.'
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Viral: Man reveals how a technical glitch on Instagram almost ended his 12-year marriage
Image credits: Getty Images Until now, factors like cheating or lying could break up a marriage, but in a revelation going viral on Reddit, a man revealed how a technical glitch on Instagram almost ended his 12-year marriage. Taking to the relationships sub-thread on the social media app, a 34-year-old man shared how his wife, 32, almost broke up with him due to a harmless DM thread on Instagram he appeared to have sent during the weekend he was off-grid. He added how they resolved the issue but it showed the couple how fragile trust is and how scary technical glitches can be. The scary incident Image credits: Reddit "Hey Reddit, This might sound strange, but a silly bug on Instagram nearly ended my 12-year marriage." began the man in the post. He shared that he and his wife are from wife and have been together since college in Pune when they met during their B.A. days. Over the years, they tackled long-distance with her working in Hyderabad and him staying in Mumbai and even staying together through family pressure, hob stress and the loss of close ones. During all these years, trust had never been an issue for the couple but that changed two months ago when one evening they were chilling at home after dinner when his wife was scrolling through Instagram and suddenly gave him a "What is this?" look. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 한 달의 집중, 배우고 행동한 사람만이 느낀 변화 마크로헤지코리아 Undo Apparently, she had found a DM between him and a mutual friend of theirs which consisted of an old meme and some harmless banter. The problem here was the timestamp, wrote the man adding that according to Instagram, he had sent the message during a weekend when the couple were together at his wife's farmhouse in Lonavala, "completely off the grid, no mobile signal, no wifi" He added how his wife naturally got suspicious, considering it looked like he had lied about being offline and was secretly chatting with someone else. The difficult resolve Image credits: Getty Images The man added that he remembered that the conversation had happened months ago, way before the trip. He even found a screenshot in his gallery with the original date, but Instagram's glitch made it look recent and his wife didn't believe him. He shared how their relationship suffered with his wife becoming more distant and their usual "chai-time" conversations were replaced with awkward silences. He added feeling helpless with the effort of fighting something that looked "digitally true" Set on resolving the issue, he researched on Reddit, and tech forums and even approached Meta support. At that time, he found dozens of users, some even from India reporting the same bug: Instagram's DMs showing wrong timestamps, out-of-order messages and even replies appearing after the original message. He showed all the evidence to his wife and even recreated the glitch using another account. Gradually, she started believing him and they had a long, emotional conversation where it hit them how "fragile" trust can be and how quickly a few lines of code can shake a relationship. He shared his advice from the incident, suggesting people talk if something feels off in their relationship and not rely on what an app showed. "Sometimes it's not cheating, it's just bad software," he wrote.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Aamir Khan revisits Bollywood's underworld era: When he got an invite from someone dangerous
Aamir Khan has opened up about a disturbing chapter from the peak of his early stardom, when the Bollywood industry was grappling with underworld influence during the 1990s. In a recent interview with The Lallantop, the actor shared how he was approached multiple times by individuals linked to the underworld, who insisted he attend a party in the Middle East — likely in Dubai. Despite repeated offers of money and assistance, Khan stood firm in his refusal. Back then, Aamir had established himself as a major name in Hindi cinema following the success of Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak in 1988. But his rising fame also attracted the attention of some dangerous individuals. Without naming anyone, he said that some men approached him on a film set and later tried several times to convince him to attend the overseas gathering. Firm Refusal Despite Pressure Khan recalled that these individuals first offered financial incentives, along with promises to help with any professional need. When that didn't work, the tone shifted. According to the actor, the group eventually told him that his appearance had already been announced, making it a matter of prestige. However, Khan continued to decline. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Tiger reunites with the zookeeper after 5 years. See the tiger's reaction! Story To Hear Undo He told them clearly that if they wished, they could come any time and force him to go — by beating him or dragging him away — but he would never go of his own will. That meeting turned out to be their last interaction. After that, the group never contacted him again. Fear for Family's Safety While Aamir maintained a courageous front during the confrontation, he admitted he was deeply afraid at the time. What troubled him most was the safety of his family. He had two young children then, and his parents were deeply concerned for his well-being. Still, he remained steadfast in his decision, telling them that he simply wanted to live life on his own terms. At the time, he was married to Reena Dutta, with whom he had two children — Junaid and Ira. Their safety weighed heavily on his mind, but he did not allow fear to dictate his choices. Career Then and Now Aamir Khan also reflected briefly on his career, addressing a common debate around his 2007 directorial debut Taare Zameen Par. While Amol Gupte was the creative director who developed the concept, Khan explained that he eventually took over the direction himself after being dissatisfied with some of the filmed footage. He affirmed that he fully helmed the final version of the film. Currently, Aamir is enjoying the success of Sitaare Zameen Par, which has crossed ₹100 crore in India and earned over ₹160 crore globally. It has become one of the year's highest-grossing Hindi films. He is also producing Lahore 1947, a period drama directed by Rajkumar Santoshi, starring Sunny Deol and others. Additionally, he will make a cameo appearance in Coolie, a film led by Rajinikanth, which he agreed to join purely out of admiration for the legendary actor.
