NYT Strands today — hints, answers and spangram for Friday, September 13 (game #194)

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

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Boots and saddles

NYT Strands today (game #194) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• STORE
• SNORE
• COWS
• COWL
• TOOL
• TOOT

NYT Strands today (game #194) - hint #3 - spangram

What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Open range

NYT Strands today (game #194) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

First: left, 5th row

Last: right, 3rd row

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

NYT Strands today (game #194) - the answers

The answers to today's Strands, game #194, are…

• COWBOY
• SHERIFF
• DUEL
• BOUNTY
• HORSE
• SALOON
• OUTLAW
• SPANGRAM: WESTERNS

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

Here's yet another easy Strands puzzle to get your day off to a good start. And frankly, it's been a while since we've had a truly difficult one.

Today's theme is WESTERNS as per the spangram, a concept that was heavily teased by the theme clue of 'Boots and saddles' and confirmed the second I uncovered COWBOY. After that it was simply a question of hunting through those letters like a prospector sifting for gold… None were too hard to find, and I completed this one in about five minutes flat.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Thursday 12 September, game #193)

• LANE
• STREET
• ROAD
• AVENUE
• HIGHWAY
• BOULEVARD
• SPANGRAM: THOROUGHFARE

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.