NYT Strands Hints and Answers for Today (May 16, 2025) – Puzzle #439 “To a Degree

Looking for a little help with today’s NYT Strands puzzle? You’re in the right place. Below you’ll find a few gentle hints and, if you scroll far enough, the full solution to Puzzle #439, which is themed “To a Degree.”

📝 Pro tip: Bookmark this page so you can easily return for daily Strands hints and check out previous puzzles you might have missed.

🔍 Today's Theme: "To a Degree"

This one’s all about a major life milestone—graduation!

🟡 Hint for the Spangram

Think of the ceremony many students attend in late spring after finishing a program. 🎓

🔵 Hint for the Theme Words

Look for items and moments associated with a graduation day celebration—things you’d see or experience at the event.

⚠️ SPOILERS AHEAD: Scroll at your own pace!

🟡 Today's Spangram

GRADUATION

🔵 Today's Theme Words

SPEECH

DIPLOMA

PHOTO

PROCESSION

GOWN

TASSEL

These words all tie into the rituals and symbols of a graduation ceremony.

🧠 How I Solved It

The puzzle’s title, “To a Degree,” was the first clue—it clearly hinted at academic degrees. My initial instinct was to search for words like “masters” or “bachelors,” but they didn’t fit quite right.

Spotting GOWN running down the edge helped shift my thinking to graduation-related terms. Then I discovered the spangram GRADUATION, starting in the bottom-left corner and stretching to the top-right. With that found, the rest of the theme words came into view quickly:

SPEECH was across the top row

DIPLOMA appeared in the upper left

PHOTO fit into the left half

PROCESSION hugged the lower edge

TASSEL wrapped it up

🧩 How to Play NYT Strands

Strands is the New York Times' twist on a word search. Each puzzle gives you a clue-based theme (like today’s “To a Degree”), and your goal is to find related words hidden in a grid of letters.

The key element is the spangram—a word that runs across the board and directly reflects the puzzle’s theme. It stretches from one edge to the other, and finding it can unlock the rest of the board.

Words can appear in any direction—up, down, diagonal—and you can only use each letter once. Correct words are highlighted in blue, while the spangram turns yellow.

Need help while playing? You can submit non-theme words (four letters or more) to earn hints. Find three valid filler words, and a “Hint” button becomes available, revealing the letters of a hidden theme word.

🏁 How to Win

There’s no way to lose at Strands. You can guess as much as you want, and every correct word gets you closer to solving the puzzle. You win when all letters are used—meaning you’ve found both the spangram and all the theme words.

Once completed, you’ll get a shareable results card:

🔵 = Theme words found

🟡 = Spangram

💡 = Hint used

Happy puzzling, and congrats if you’re celebrating a graduation yourself! 🎓