NYT Strands today — hints, answers and spangram for Tuesday, August 20 (game #170)

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 Wordle today , NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games.

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 #170) - hint #1 - today's theme

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… I think we're covered

NYT Strands today (game #170) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• GAIT
• SAGE
• STEAL
• SAIL
• SILK
• PAIL

NYT Strands today (game #170) - hint #3 - spangram

What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Keeps you dry

NYT Strands today (game #170) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

First: left, 4th row

Last: right, 4th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #170) - the answers

The answers to today's Strands, game #170, are…

• UMBRELLA
• HOOD
• SLICKER
• PONCHO
• GALOSHES
• GAITERS
• SPANGRAM: RAINGEAR

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: Perfect

I've marked this as moderate, despite the fact I solved it without needing any in-game hints, because a few of the answers are a bit obscure. I've never heard of GAITERS, for instances, and GALOSHES was probably a word I last heard about 40 years ago when my grandmother was taking me out for a walk in the rain. Are they still a thing? Or actually, is this another American English vs British English thing? Plus, the spangram is that well known phrase RAINGEAR. Ahem.

Still, UMBRELLA, PONCHO and HOOD were all easy solves, and the way the letters fell meant solving it via a combination of random guessing and actual brainpower was possible.

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Monday 19 August, game #169)

• LEOPARD
• CHEETAH
• PANTHER
• LION
• JAGUAR
• COUGAR
• TIGER
• SPANGRAM: BIGCAT

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's new word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now out of beta so is a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable and can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

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