If today’s Strands puzzle has you tied in knots, relief is just moments away.

The New York Times’ latest word game hides a carefully themed puzzle inside a compact maze of letters.

You can connect letters in any direction (up, down, sideways, or diagonally), but each can be used only once.

The only guide is the puzzle’s cryptic title.

Find three non-themed words, and you’ll unlock a helpful hint. Piece them all together, and you’ll discover the “spangram”, a theme-defining word or phrase that stretches across the entire board.

Below, you’ll find helpful hints and solutions to unlock the entire puzzle.

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    This theme describes various tactics animals use to signal danger and encourage others to maintain distance.

    NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

    Today’s NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

    NYT Strands spangram answer today

    Today’s spangram is THREAT DISPLAY.

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    NYT Strands word list for 24-July-2025

    • Growl
    • Hiss
    • Huff
    • Rattle
    • Screech
    • Snarl
    • Spray
    • Stomp

    See Also

    Explore more daily puzzles and NYT game solutions.