Hints
Today’s NYT Strands is one of those delightfully themed puzzles where, once the idea clicks, the rest of the solves start falling into place. The theme is Men in tights, and the clue that nudges you toward it is: Steal from the rich, give to the poor.
If you’re getting stuck early, lean into the category structure. Strands works by having you find hidden words that match the theme; once you land on enough of them (typically three words of four letters or more), you’ll get additional theme reveals to help you home in on what’s left. That means you don’t need every guess to be perfect—just keep uncovering anything that fits.
From the board, you can often spot partial words that lead to the full answers. If you need a starting point, here are some “unlock” style words you can look for while scanning: DOOR, HOOD, HIRE, FIRE, FIRS, REST, RESTS, SIRE, DIGS, RIGS. Any of those appearing on the grid is a good sign you’re in the right neighborhood.
And once you’re close, watch for the big theme entry—the spangram, which connects opposite sides of the puzzle. With today’s topic, the spangram is particularly satisfying because it’s a very direct phrase tied to the “steal from the rich” wording.
Answers
Spangram: ROBINHOOD
Other answers: FRIAR, FOREST, OUTLAW, ARCHERY, SHERIFF, DISGUISE
If you want the quick “how to find it” tip for the spangram: start with the R that’s four letters down on the far-left row, then follow the path over and up to complete ROBINHOOD.
For a little extra context, the “men in tights” framing tends to point you toward famous figures who dress the part—some noble, some mischievous, some outright disguised. The puzzle is designed so that your confidence grows as each term reinforces the theme: the outlaws and the archery, the forest-y vibe, and the disguised identity all snap together neatly once you’ve got the spangram in mind.
And if you’re in the mood to compare puzzle styles, you may enjoy how Connections similarly rewards noticing theme logic early—especially when you’re trying to turn scattered finds into a complete grid.
