Struggling with today’s grid.
Don’t bother looking further unless you actually want help. CNET has the daily hints, the answers, and even the mini crosswords for Wordle and Connections right there if you need them. Just click over.
But today is special. Today the board tastes like something.
The NYT Strands puzzle on July 2 throws some heavy flavor bombs your way. The unscrambling isn’t easy. It’s sticky, actually. If your eyes are glazing over and you still haven’t found a single word, read on. We’re not holding back.
For the complete rulebook, check that other story I linked. Or don’t. I get it, you want the answer. If you need Wordle or the Mini Crossword fixes, go to the main puzzle page. There’s plenty there.
Speaking of puzzles, remember Connections just turned one. We looked at the five hardest ones from that anniversary month. Brutal stuff. But we’re here for Strands today.
Added Flavor
Here is the theme: Added flavor.
Dry enough? Okay. Let’s give it a hint. Mmm!
You need to find words to keep playing. Three four-letter words unlock a theme word hint. I dug through the pile and pulled these out: GARB, GARBLE, CAME, SALE, SEAL, GETS, BETS, KITE, TIRE, CHAR, CHARS.
They worked. Yours might not. That’s fine. Just find anything. Four letters or longer. Get the hints rolling.
The Sauce Answers
Once those hints pop, the real puzzle begins. You are hunting for condiments.
“The goal of the puzzle is to find all theme words.”
When you nail every single theme word, the entire board lights up. No letters left behind. I used to think it was always eight answers. Nope. That changes. Today’s lineup includes BECHAMEL, MARINARA, SRIRACHA, TERIYAKI, TZATZIKI.
Then there’s the spangram.
It cuts right through the middle. Today? GETSAUCY. Start with the G in the fourth slot on the left edge. Wind right, go up, trace the letters. Done.
The Painful Past
Some themes hit harder than others. I’ve cataloged the worst.
First on the list? Dated slang. Unless you lived in a very specific decade and spoke like a commercial mascot, you’re stuck. PHAT is the killer there.
Second place goes to marine biology. “Thar she blows” was fun until you had to know the anatomy. BALEEN or RIGHT. Sorry, non-biologists.
And then? Off the hook.
Fish themes are traps. Unless you catch shrimp for a living, BIGEYE and SKIPJACK are just letters.
Sorry, Charlie.
