****

For all the Strands enthusiasts out there, May 31, 2025, brings a new challenge with the theme "Next to the bobby pins." If you're finding today's puzzle particularly tricky, we've got you covered with some helpful hints and, ultimately, the complete solution. Bookmark this page to easily return for daily Strands hints, and if you're curious about past puzzles, those hints are available here too.

Let's start off with some hints for today's Strands puzzle. Our spangram clue revolves around items used by someone with long hair to style it. Keep this in mind as you scan the board. When it comes to the theme words, think about specific objects employed to tie back, style, and gather hair.

Now, for the moment of revelation: Spoilers ahead! So, scroll carefully if you want to maintain the challenge. Today's spangram is HAIRACCESSORIES—this word spans the board. As for the theme words, you are looking for: CLIP, BARRETTE, CLAW, SCRUNCHIE, and HEADBAND. Here's a breakdown of how they appear on the board:

- HAIRACCESSORIES runs down the center.
- CLAW is situated in the bottom left.
- BARRETTE is located above CLAW.
- CLIP can be found in the upper left.
- SCRUNCHIE is placed in the upper right.

Playing Strands is straightforward but engaging. Available on the New York Times website and NYT Games app, you start with a board of letters and a thematic hint phrase, like "Better with age." Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the theme. The spangram, a word that clearly represents the puzzle's theme, spans the entire board and highlights in yellow once found, simplifying the rest of the game.

The game combines elements of a crossword and a word search, but words can move in any direction, and each letter is used only once. Additional hints can be earned by identifying non-theme words of at least four letters. These clues highlight letters of a theme word, aiding in the puzzle's completion. The game concludes successfully when all the letters form the correct words, displaying your performance with blue dots for theme words, a yellow dot for the spangram, and a lightbulb for hints used.

For detailed solutions, refer to today's puzzle and conquer Strands with confidence!