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 NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc’s Wordle today page for the original viral word game.

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 #414) – hint #1 – today’s theme

NYT Strands today (game #414) – hint #2 – clue words

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

• BASIC
• RICE
• GLUE
• CAGE
• COIN
• URGE

NYT Strands today (game #414) – hint #3 – spangram letters

NYT Strands today (game #414) – hint #4 – spangram position

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

NYT Strands today (game #414) – the answers

The answers to today’s Strands, game #414, are…

• ACROBAT
• JUGGLER
• DUET
• COMIC
• MAGICIAN
• DANCER
• SPANGRAM: VARIETY ACTS

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

My immediate thoughts on today’s theme were TV talent shows and the many variants of such and such a country’s “got talent”.

In the UK, our version ran out of talent and we started importing contestants that had appeared in other country’s versions of the show. At that point the emphasis switched from unearthing talent and more about creating a fun TV show, which it did – but it broke the format. Hard to keep up the illusion of judgement when you’ve cast the competitors.

Anyway, I digress. Knowing the VARIETY ACTS we were looking for made for a very dull Strands. Although having DUET instead of SINGER is a slight curveball. Also missing were the cute dog acts that seem an integral part of a variety show — or at least ones involving Simon Cowell.

Concerns about exploitation have seen, probably correctly, the decline of performing animals – apart from dogs, who seem more than happy to humiliate themselves dancing / jumping over tiny fences / posing on pedestals / smoking pipes / catching frisbees / wearing bomber jackets and pork pie hats for human entertainment. Not good enough to make Strands though, lads.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday’s NYT Strands answers (Sunday, 20 April, game #413)

• BUNNY
• TOYS
• BOOK
• EGGS
• CHOCOLATE
• CANDY
• PEEPS
• SPANGRAM: EASTER BASKET

Johnny is a freelance pop culture journalist who has been writing about the internet, music, football and famous people since the iPhone was just a twinkle in Steve Jobs’ eye. Previously known by the pseudonym the Pop Detective, his journalistic career began making up stories about Madonna’s addiction to sausage rolls (this is not true by the way). A man of few talents, his career is rich and various and includes the highs of interviewing Elton John and Blur; and the lows of interviewing Right Said Fred, appearing on a Channel 5 documentary about Peter Kay, and fact-checking the instruction manual for a German cooker. Somehow still affording to live in North London he is at his happiest riding his bicycle and shouting at pigeons.