Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is seeking details of a short-term ceasefire Russia proposed to U.S. President Donald Trump.
(Image credit: Petros Karadjias)
Zelenskyy says he's seeking details of Putin's May 9 ceasefire proposal
Thursday, April 30, 2026
NYT Strands hints and answers for Friday, May 1 (game #789)
Looking for a different day?
A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Thursday, April 30 (game #788).
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 #789) - hint #1 - today's theme
What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?
• Today's NYT Strands theme is… I ❤️ Hawaii
NYT Strands today (game #789) - hint #2 - clue words
Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
- PUKE
- PEEL
- DAME
- PINE
- LAME
- PLEAD
NYT Strands today (game #789) - hint #3 - spangram letters
How many letters are in today's spangram?
• Spangram has 11 letters
NYT Strands today (game #789) - hint #4 - spangram position
What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?
First side: left, 8th row
Last side: right, 3rd row
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Strands today (game #789) - the answers
The answers to today's Strands, game #789, are…
- POKE
- HULA
- LUAU
- UKULELE
- PINEAPPLE
- MACADAMIA
- SPANGRAM: ALOHASPIRIT
- My rating: Easy
- My score: Perfect
Happy Lei Day, Hawaiians.
Having never been to Hawaii — the closest I’ve got is a shirt I owned in the late 1990s — I feared I would struggle my way around today’s board, but the reality was that it could not have been easier.
It’s a testament to how much Hawaiian culture has permeated around the globe that I was familiar with all of today's words, with the exception of MACADAMIA — which I did not know had a strong link to the islands (I thought they were Australian). It was also a very tricky word to piece together and took me a couple of attempts to get in the right order.
Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Thursday, April 30, game #788)
- DRIZZLE
- MIST
- STEAM
- VAPOR
- HUMIDITY
- AEROSOL
- SPANGRAM: CONDENSATION
What is NYT Strands?
Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.
20,000 civilian sailors are stuck in the gulf that opens to the Strait of Hormuz
Thousands of seafarers remain stuck as the Strait of Hormuz blockade continues. The United Nations urges for a plan to facilitate their release.
Wednesday, April 29, 2026
Trump says he is weighing reducing American troop presence in Germany after Iran feud
President Trump suggested he could soon reduce the U.S. military presence in Germany as he continues to feud with Chancellor Friedrich Merz over the U.S-Israel war against Iran.
(Image credit: Mark Schiefelbein)
NYT Strands hints and answers for Thursday, April 30 (game #788)
Looking for a different day?
A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Wednesday, April 29 (game #787).
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 #788) - hint #1 - today's theme
What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?
• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Wet blankets
NYT Strands today (game #788) - hint #2 - clue words
Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
- SPAT
- MOIST
- SORE
- PIANO
- VIOLA
- TAME
NYT Strands today (game #788) - hint #3 - spangram letters
How many letters are in today's spangram?
• Spangram has 12 letters
NYT Strands today (game #788) - hint #4 - spangram position
What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?
First side: bottom, 3rd column
Last side: top, 3rd column
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Strands today (game #788) - the answers
The answers to today's Strands, game #788, are…
- DRIZZLE
- MIST
- STEAM
- VAPOR
- HUMIDITY
- AEROSOL
- SPANGRAM: CONDENSATION
- My rating: Easy
- My score: Perfect
The phrase “wet blankets” is used to describe someone who soaks the enjoyment out of a situation.
After failing to spot “killjoy”, the most obvious word connected to this theme, on the board I decided that we were looking for a more literal connection to wet blankets which could only mean CONDENSATION.
The two Zs helped me find DRIZZLE and from here on it was a synonym search, although among them AEROSOL was not one I expected.
Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Wednesday, April 29, game #787)
- HOOK
- REEL
- LURE
- WEIGHT
- SWIVEL
- PLIERS
- COOLER
- BOBBER
- SPANGRAM: TACKLE
What is NYT Strands?
Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.
The Austrian nuns who fled their care home are now in Rome and visited the Vatican
The three octogenarian nuns, who made headlines last year after they broke back into their convent, joined others at St. Peter's Square for a general audience with Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday morning.
(Image credit: Joe Klamar)
Tuesday, April 28, 2026
Red cards can be given to players who cover their mouths while confronting opponents
The International Football Association Board approved a rule that would penalize players with a red card if they cover their mouths when confronting another player. The measure will be in place at this summer's World Cup.
(Image credit: Pedro Rocha)
