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NYT Strands hints and answers for Wednesday, May 28 (game #451)

Looking for NYT Strands answers and hints? Here's all you need to know to solve today's game, including the spangram.

May 27, 2025 - 16:20

NYT Strands hints and answers for Wednesday, May 28 (game #451)

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Tuesday, May 27 (game #450).

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #451) - hint #1 - today's theme

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Top contenders

NYT Strands today (game #451) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

TILE
THEN
FILE
SAIL
WINE
SHINE

NYT Strands today (game #451) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 12 letters

NYT Strands today (game #451) - hint #4 - spangram position

What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 3rd row

Last side: bottom, 5th column

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #451) - the answers

NYT Strands answers for game 451 on a blue background — (Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #451, are…

WINNER
CHAMP
TITLEHOLDER
VICTOR
MEDALIST
SPANGRAM: FINISH STRONG

My rating: Easy
My score: Perfect

I got off to a great start today, finding the word DINNER – which immediately led to WINNER. From there it was a fairly straightforward race to victory.

I was convinced TITLEHOLDER was going to be the spangram as I was tapping it out, but that went to the marginally longer FINISH STRONG, which I’m not entirely sure works. You can finish strong and be a loser if you didn’t start well in a race, championship or game and equally if you finish badly but started well you can still be a CHAMP.

The reality of becoming a MEDALIST is that the quality that a competitor or team needs the most is consistency, which is why serial winners are often compared to machines.

Before that though, it’s important to lose a lot and almost win things, otherwise people will compare you to a robot and no one wants to cheer for a robot.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Tuesday, May 27, game #450)

FARM
GAMES
ANIMAL
TALE
HUNGER
HANDMAIDS
SPANGRAM: DYSTOPIAN NOVEL

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.