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.

RELATED:

    NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Inch by inch, row by row

    This puzzle centers on the slow, steady process of growth and development, similar to the nurturing of plants from their initial stages to maturity.

    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 THE GARDEN SONG.

    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT

    NYT Strands word list for 28-July-2025

    • Blossom
    • Grow
    • Harvest
    • Ripen
    • Seed
    • Sprout

    See Also

    Explore more daily puzzles and NYT game solutions.