NYT Strands today — hints, answers and spangram for Saturday, October 12 (game #223)

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

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Toon time

NYT Strands today (game #223) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• HEAR
• HARE
• AREA
• CART
• RUNG
• SNUG

NYT Strands today (game #223) - hint #3 - spangram

What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Assorted loons

NYT Strands today (game #223) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

First: right, 5th row

Last: left, 6th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #223) - the answers

The answers to today's Strands, game #223, are…

• PORKY
• BUGS
• GRANNY
• DAFFY
• FOXY
• FOGHORN
• PETUNIA
• SPANGRAM: CHARACTERS

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: 2 hints

I have mixed feelings about this Strands puzzle. On the plus side, I loved Looney Tunes as a kid, and revelled in the antics of PORKY, DAFFY, BUGS Bunny and the others. On the minus side, the NYT puzzle setters couldn't find space for the best characters in the gang, Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner. But as far as this puzzle goes, my main problem is that the spangram is CHARACTERS – which they all are, yes, but shouldn't it be more specific than that?

That aside, this was undoubtedly a difficult game. It's some 40 years since I was regularly watching these cartoons, and they weren't a big thing when my kids were young (it was all Peppa Pig, Frozen and Dora by then). I found some, but needed hints for FOXY (who I didn't remember) and FOGHORN. A mixed bag, then, but overall I'll give it a thumbs up. And for today at least, that's all folks.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Friday 11 October, game #222)

• BEAKER
• FLASK
• PIPETTE
• GOGGLES
• THERMOMETER
• SPANGRAM: CHEMISTRYLAB

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.