Are you staring at today’s NYT Strands board feeling like you’re missing the big picture? You aren’t alone. The NYT Strands puzzle for April 17 brings a cinematic twist that has left many players scratching their heads.
While the theme might seem broad at first glance, the connection between the words is clever, requiring you to think outside the grid or rather, just to the left of the titles. If you are stuck on Game #410 and want to keep your streak alive without outright spoilers, you’ve come to the right place.
Below, you’ll find progressive hints, the specific theme explanation, and the full solution for the April 17 Strands puzzle.
Table of Contents
What is the Theme for NYT Strands April 17?
The official theme for today’s puzzle is “THE movies.”
At first, this might look like a generic film category, but there is a specific linguistic trick at play here.
Spoiler-Free Hint:
Don’t just look for random movie genres or actors. Every answer on the board shares a common invisible starting word that isn’t actually on the grid. Think of iconic films that start with a specific three-letter article.
NYT Strands Spangram Hint for April 17
Every Strands puzzle features a “Spangram” a single word (or phrase) that spans the entire grid from one side to the other, describing the puzzle’s cohesive topic.
- Clue: It describes what all the hidden words are (names of films).
- Direction: It flows from top to bottom, winding slightly.
- Starts with: T
- Ends with: S
The Spangram Answer:
<details> <summary>Click to reveal the Spangram</summary> TITLES </details>
NYT Strands Hints: Clues for Today’s Words
If you have found the Spangram but are still missing a few blue theme words, here are some specific clues for the answers on the April 17 board.
- Hint 1: A horror film where a videotape is cursed. (4 letters)
- Hint 2: A biography film about Howard Hughes. (7 letters)
- Hint 3: “Here’s Johnny!” (7 letters)
- Hint 4: A classic 80s adventure film featuring a truffle shuffle. (7 letters)
- Hint 5: An iconic mob drama featuring the Corleone family. (9 letters)
- Hint 6: A film involving Mrs. Robinson. (8 letters)
NYT Strands Answers April 17 (Full Reveal)
Still stuck? If you just want to check your work or finish up the board, here are the complete answers for the April 17 NYT Strands.
The hidden connection is that all these movies technically start with the word “The,” which is omitted from the grid but implied by the theme “THE movies.”
- RING (The Ring)
- AVIATOR (The Aviator)
- SHINING (The Shining)
- GOONIES (The Goonies)
- GODFATHER (The Godfather)
- GRADUATE (The Graduate)
- SPANGRAM: TITLES
How to Play NYT Strands?
If you are new to the New York Times Games suite, Strands is a unique twist on the classic word search. Unlike: Wordle hints today, where you guess a 5-letter word, Strands requires you to clear the board entirely.
- Connect Letters: You can drag your finger or mouse in any direction—up, down, left, right, or diagonally—to form words.
- Find the Theme: All “theme words” will light up in blue.
- Use the Spangram: One special word (highlighted in yellow) touches two opposite sides of the board.
- Earn Hints: If you find valid words that aren’t part of the theme, they fill up your hint meter. Find three non-theme words to unlock a hint!
Frequently Asked Questions:
What is the Spangram for April 17?
The Spangram for the April 17 puzzle is TITLES. It starts on the left side of the board and winds its way across, cementing the connection between the various movie names.
Why is “The” missing from the answers?
The theme “THE movies” implies that the word “The” precedes every answer found on the board (e.g., The Godfather, The Goonies), but “The” itself is not included in the grid letters.
Is NYT Strands harder than Wordle?
It depends on your strengths. Strands requires more visual scanning and semantic association (connecting words by meaning), whereas Wordle relies on vocabulary recall and deductive logic. Many players find Strands slightly more forgiving because of the hint system.
