NYT Strands Answers, Spangram and hints, April 20, 2025: Solve the Sunday puzzle with this quick and easy guide

As part of its growing suite of digital word games, The New York Times presented yet another cerebral challenge through its latest Strands puzzle on Sunday, April 20, 2025.

Titled “On the hunt,” the puzzle drew on festive imagery and traditions, offering players an engaging linguistic exercise themed around the Easter holiday.


The puzzle's combination of strategy, vocabulary, and thematic deduction continues to establish NYT Strands as a compelling follow-up to games like Wordle and Connections.

What is NYT Strands?

NYT Strands is a puzzle game developed by The New York Times as a fresh addition to its digital entertainment lineup. Structured around a six-by-eight letter grid, the objective is to identify interconnected words that relate to a daily theme.

One standout feature of the game is the Spangram—a special word or phrase that stretches across the board either horizontally, vertically, or diagonally and encapsulates the puzzle’s theme.

This Spangram acts as a linchpin for players, as decoding it can unlock the remainder of the themed word groupings.

Today’s Theme: “On the Hunt”

For Sunday’s puzzle, the theme “On the hunt” hinted at seasonal references, particularly Easter-related concepts, as mentioned in a report by Beebom.

Those familiar with cane baskets, candy-filled containers, and mythical figures delivering gifts were likely to catch on early.

To assist struggling solvers, a few clues were offered:

• Hint 1: A marshmallow candy shaped like chicks.
  
• Hint 2: An imaginary rabbit associated with holiday gift-giving.
  

Together, these nudged players toward classic Easter imagery, setting the stage for thematic word discovery.

Spangram Hint and Solution

Today’s Spangram was revealed to be predominantly horizontal in orientation, beginning with the letters “EA.”

The clue offered was suggestive of traditional gifts or treats typically associated with the paschal festival.

• Spangram Answer: EasterBasket
  

Uncovering this phrase often provided the necessary momentum for solvers to tackle the remainder of the board.

NYT Strands Today: Full Answer Key for April 20, 2025

For enthusiasts who reached a standstill or sought confirmation of their solutions, here are the complete answers from today’s puzzle:

• BOOK
  
• TOYS
  
• EGGS
  
• BUNNY
• PEEPS
  
• CHOCOLATE
  
• CANDY
  

These words all align with common items found in an Easter basket, consistent with the puzzle’s overarching theme and Spangram.

Understanding the Role of a Spangram

In NYT Strands, the Spangram is the central thematic anchor. While it doesn’t always start or end at the board’s edge, it is guaranteed to stretch across opposing sides, often helping solvers reveal adjacent theme words.

It serves as a strategic tool: cracking the Spangram early can make solving the remaining clues substantially easier.

FAQs

How to find Strands NYT?

Each time you discover three words with four or more letters, Strands will uncover one of the themed words.

What is the meaning of the NYT Strands?

NYT Strands is a word search puzzle set within a 6x8 letter grid, where players uncover words that relate to a specific theme.