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 #379) – hint #1 – today’s theme

NYT Strands today (game #379) – hint #2 – clue words

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

• DINE
• TRICK
• STICK
• HELP
• BEEN
• GRIN

NYT Strands today (game #379) – hint #3 – spangram letters

NYT Strands today (game #379) – 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 #379) – the answers

The answers to today’s Strands, game #379, are…

• CROW
• CHIPS
• WELLS
• BEDDING
• BLUSHING
• STRICKEN
• SPANGRAM: SPOONERISMS

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 3 hints

SPOONERISMS are a verbal error where the speaker mixes up the letters of two or more words in a phrase, often with comedic results.

They also make for a very tricky Strands and I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who struggled with the search – not least because if you didn’t have the first one you’d find it tough to locate its pair.

Spoonerisms often occur when someone is struggling to find the right words or speaking in a hurry and getting their words muddled – for instance a priest talking about BEDDING WELLS or someone delivering a BLUSHING CROW.

Back in the late 20th century there was a British comedian called Stanley Unwin who became famous after turning Spoonerisms into an artform and creating his own language (Unwinese) out of it.

He’d begin by asking the audience: “Are you all sitty comftybold two-square on your botty?” before launching into his routine of nonsense verse and rambling stories, interspersed with cries of “deep joy”. He was a lovely man.

Anyway, got to go, I’m off to make a chilled STRICKEN CHIPS sandwich for lunch.

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

Yesterday’s NYT Strands answers (Sunday, 16 March, game #378)

• RACE
• QUALIFYING
• PITS
• PODIUM
• PRACTICE
• SPRINT
• SPANGRAM: FORMULA ONE

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.