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 #540) – hint #1 – today’s theme

NYT Strands today (game #540) – hint #2 – clue words

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

• BACK
• SOLO
• STOKE
• TALL
• LAST
• CORK

NYT Strands today (game #540) – hint #3 – spangram letters

NYT Strands today (game #540) – 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 #540) – the answers

The answers to today’s Strands, game #540, are…

• LAPTOP
• NOTEBOOKS
• FOLDERS
• BACKPACK
• CALCULATOR
• SPANGRAM: SUPPLIES

• My rating: Hard
• My score: Perfect

I had a bit of a back-to-front day today tapping out “top” and “lap”  before I saw we were searching for LAPTOP and tapping out “book” and “note” before seeing NOTEBOOKS.

I just about got through without using a hint although I was sorely tempted after a slow start. 

You will never need as many SUPPLIES for the rest of your life as you do at school. Well for your first day of school anyway. After the first week you wise up and realize you don’t have to fill your gigantic BACKPACK with every single piece of stationery item you may possibly need for the next decade.

Yesterday’s NYT Strands answers (Sunday, August 24, game #539)

• BLASTING
• LOUD
• BOOMING
• NOISY
• STRIDENT
• BOISTEROUS
• SPANGRAM: HUBBUB

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.