Friday, May 22, 2026

Quordle hints and answers for Saturday, May 23 (game #1580)

Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle 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 Friday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Friday, May 22 (game #1579).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,400 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #1580) - hint #1 - Vowels

How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #1580) - hint #2 - repeated letters

Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 1.

Quordle today (game #1580) - hint #3 - uncommon letters

Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• Yes. One of Q, Z, X or J appears among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1580) - hint #4 - starting letters (1)

Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #1580) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)

What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• J

• D

• I

• B

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

Quordle today (game #1580) - the answers

Quordle answers for game 1580 on a yellow background

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1580, are…

  • JUICY
  • DREAM
  • IDYLL
  • BRAID

A tricky, slow game today. My biggest leap in this game was deploying the least used of rare letters, but with U, I, C, and Y in play JUICY felt like the most likely of words.

For IDYLL, the letter Y in the center of the word gave me few options, although it did take me a while to get there.

Daily Sequence today (game #1580) - the answers

Quordle Daily Sequence answers for game 1580 on a yellow background

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1580, are…

  • MONTH
  • SHIED
  • NEIGH
  • THROW

Quordle answers: The past 20

  • Quordle #1579, Friday, 22 May: GAILY, HITCH, DRUNK, COUNT
  • Quordle #1578, Thursday, 21 May: RANCH, OTTER, WREST, ILIAC
  • Quordle #1577, Wednesday, 20 May: TEDDY, MINUS, TRULY, STARK
  • Quordle #1576, Tuesday, 19 May: HIPPY, FORTE, HORSE, QUELL
  • Quordle #1575, Monday, 18 May: CLANK, SWINE, STEAM, DRAPE
  • Quordle #1574, Sunday, 17 May: WHINE, TENET, KNAVE, GREED
  • Quordle #1573, Satuday, 16 May: DEMUR, THREE, SLEEP, CRUDE
  • Quordle #1572, Friday, 15 May: EPOCH, SPIKY, FAINT, PENNE
  • Quordle #1571, Thursday, 14 May: SEVEN, DECRY, VILLA, MILKY
  • Quordle #1570, Wednesday, 13 May: SKUNK, CHAFE, INTER, SOOTH
  • Quordle #1569, Tuesday, 12 May: AGLOW, AVAIL, BADLY, STING
  • Quordle #1568, Monday, 11 May: CLUMP, SALTY, BOAST, YIELD
  • Quordle #1567, Sunday, 10 May: DONOR, FAITH, ROBOT, EXILE
  • Quordle #1566, Saturday, 9 May: SHALL, ERUPT, WISER, DRIER
  • Quordle #1565, Friday, 8 May: TOXIN, HELIX, FLOUT, ADULT
  • Quordle #1564, Thursday, 7 May: DEALT, LOWLY, AHEAD, CHEEK
  • Quordle #1563, Wednesday, 6 May: DRESS, SWIFT, HOARD, STEAD
  • Quordle #1562, Tuesday, 5 May: SNEER, NEVER, RAMEN, TODDY
  • Quordle #1561, Monday, 4 May: IMBUE, FIFTY, STEEP, PINTO
  • Quordle #1560, Sunday, 3 May: HATER, FORCE, BASTE, TROUT

Thursday, May 21, 2026

NYT Strands hints and answers for Friday, May 22 (game #810)

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, May 21 (game #809).

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 #810) - hint #1 - today's theme

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

Today's NYT Strands theme is… Put down your ruler

NYT Strands today (game #810) - hint #2 - clue words

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

  • SAVE
  • BITES
  • PANG
  • PASTE
  • MITE
  • WING

NYT Strands today (game #810) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?

Spangram has 6 letters

NYT Strands today (game #810) - hint #4 - spangram position

What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 5th row

Last side: right, 5th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #810) - the answers

NYT Strands answers for game 810 on a blue background

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #810, are…

  • BOUNDLESS
  • VAST
  • EPIC
    IMMENSE
  • WHOPPING
  • ASTRONOMIC
  • SPANGRAM: ITSBIG
  • My rating: Hard
  • My score: 1 hint

Today’s search was for words that describe something enormous, tied together with the ironically small spangram ITSBIG.

Before properly starting today’s game I wasted a ridiculous amount of time trying to link together the word pistachio. After abandoning this quest I saw BOUNDLESS, but was still uncertain of the theme, so took a hint — which made me feel really silly for not spotting the theme.

Today’s search contains one of my most hated words in WHOPPING, which is only ever used by news reporters in connection with large quantities of money. It is such a cliched word. It is meant to indicate that the sum in question is staggeringly enormous, but if that’s the case then why do we need the word WHOPPING in front of it to tell us, surely its enormity would be evident already — after all, “one million dollars” is exactly the same as “a WHOPPING one million dollars”. It’s a very low-level irritation, I’ll admit!

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Thursday, May 21, game #809)

  • WOOL
  • SATIN
  • VELVET
  • COTTON
  • SILK
  • DENIM
  • FLEECE
  • LINEN
  • SPANGRAM: FABRICS

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.

Wednesday, May 20, 2026

Liberal U.S. mayors team up with European counterparts to fight authoritarianism

Lacey Beaty, mayor of Beaverton, Ore., represented one of the U.S. cities that recently joined the Pact of Free Cities for its recent meeting in Bratislava, Slovakia. In the background (from left to right) are Omar Al-Rawi, member of the Vienna City Council; Audrey Pulvar, deputy mayor of Paris; Gergely Karácsony, mayor of Budapest; and Rafał Trzaskowski, mayor of Warsaw.

Ten U.S. mayors from cities such as Chicago and Cincinnati have joined a pact with European mayors to defend democracy and progressive values and fight right-wing populists and authoritarianism.

(Image credit: Courtesy of the city of Bratislava)

NYT Strands hints and answers for Thursday, May 21 (game #809)

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, May 20 (game #808).

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 #809) - hint #1 - today's theme

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

Today's NYT Strands theme is… In a material world

NYT Strands today (game #809) - hint #2 - clue words

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

  • MINK
  • FLOW
  • FOOL
  • RIFLE
  • BELT
  • STONK

NYT Strands today (game #809) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?

Spangram has 7 letters

NYT Strands today (game #809) - hint #4 - spangram position

What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 4th row

Last side: right, 5th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #809) - the answers

NYT Strands answers for game 809 on a blue background

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #809, are…

  • WOOL
  • SATIN
  • VELVET
  • COTTON
  • SILK
  • DENIM
  • FLEECE
  • LINEN
  • SPANGRAM: FABRICS
  • My rating: Easy
  • My score: Perfect

This was my 91st “spangram first” and I don’t think I’ve ever seen an easier one.

Madonna lyrics aside there was only one possible topic today’s theme could be referencing, made even more obvious by the FABRICS lurking across the center of the board.

From here on in there continued to be no surprises as we collected eight of the most common materials, with no room for leather, latex, lamé, spandex or bacon and thus eliminating 95% of Lady Gaga’s wardrobe. That said, she must have a FLEECE jacket somewhere.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Wednesday, May 20, game #808)

  • RELAXED
  • SLOW
  • LEISURELY
  • PLACID
  • CALM
  • GENTLE
  • SPANGRAM: TAKEYOURTIME

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.