The New York Times has a rich history in puzzle creation, with the first crossword puzzle appearing on February 15, 1942, in the Sunday Magazine. The original puzzle was created by Charles Erlenkotter and edited by Margaret Farrar, establishing the publication as a pioneer in the field. Since then, the NYT has introduced various engaging games, such as the Mini Crossword in 2014, followed by Spelling Bee, Letter Boxed, and Tiles. In 2022, the NYT released Wordle, which has gained immense popularity, followed by Connections and Strands.

Struggling with today’s NYT Strands puzzle? This guide offers hints to spark your curiosity, as well as the answers for August 26, 2025.

**Theme:** ‘Bee friendly’

**Hints:**

**Spangram Hint:** A tiny reproductive cell of fungi, ferns, or mosses that can grow into a new organism.

**Word Hints:**

1. A simple white-petalled flower with a yellow centre.

2. A bright orange or yellow flower often used in festivals and decorations.

**Answers:**

* DAISY
* MARIGOLD
* PRIMROSE
* BLUEBELL
* CHAMOMILE

**Spangram:** ‘WildFlower’

Strands combines elements of Connections, Spelling Bee, and classic crossword puzzles. Players face a 6×8 inch board with 48 letters and a daily theme. The objective is to solve the Spangram and find all the theme-related words.

To play, connect letters on the grid to form words using a mouse or touch screen. Words can be formed horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.

Focus on identifying the central theme word or Spangram to better understand the Strands theme.

In addition to the Spangram, look for the other theme words. Successfully finding all theme words completes the puzzle.

**Puzzle Solving Tips:**

* Uncover the theme words by filling out the table with theme answers. These answers will be marked in blue once found and will not overlap.
* Discover the Spangram, a crucial puzzle element that touches two opposing sides of the board, summarizing the topic. It can include two words and is highlighted in yellow once revealed.
* Utilize hints by finding off-topic words as a guide. For every 3 non-theme words revealed, letters are highlighted with a clue to help you find a themed word without revealing the word directly.

Today’s hints include: Yellow – Notable personal identifiers on someone’s appearance; Green – Insulting terms for an unpleasant person; Blue – Verbs meaning to annoy or harass repeatedly; Purple – Common modifiers that form compounds with “stool.”

The puzzle categories for August 26, 2025 are: Yellow – DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS; Green – A REAL JERK; Blue – PESTER; Purple – WORDS BEFORE “STOOL.”

The answers for August 26, 2025 are:
Yellow – DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS: MOLE, PIERCING, SCAR, TATTOO
Green – A REAL JERK: CREEP, HEEL, RAT, SKUNK
Blue – PESTER: BADGER, BUG, HARRY, RIDE
Purple – _ _ _ CALL: WORDS BEFORE “STOOL”: BAR, FOOT, STEP, TOAD

To play Connections, players receive a grid of words and must identify the hidden connections. Success requires the application of vocabulary and problem-solving skills. The game provides hints, tracks progress, and allows players to challenge others. A new puzzle is released daily at midnight on the NYT website or app. The aim is to organize sixteen words into four groups based on their connections, which can be synonyms, antonyms, or related word families. The difficulty progresses from Yellow (easiest) to Purple (hardest), with the purple category often incorporating wordplay. Incorrect guesses result in lost lives, and the game ends after four mistakes.