NYT Strands Hints and Answer for August 22, 2025
Today’s Theme and Direct Hints: “Whodunit?”
Let’s crack it open: The NYT Strands theme for August 22, 2025, is “Whodunit?” If you’re the type who grew up binge-watching Poirot, or found more joy in solving Clue than actually finishing Monopoly, today’s puzzle feels like a handwritten letter just for you. The moment I read the hint, I swear I could almost hear the faint sound of a magnifying glass tapping against a desk.
The NYT really sharpens its claws with these mystery themes — a little wink to Agatha Christie, a nod to every locked-room story ever. If you’re circling the grid in frustration, the best advice? Channel your inner sleuth. I’ll admit I went straight to thinking about mustached detectives and suspicious butlers. It helps.
The Spangram: “ITSAMYSTERY”
Here’s the no-fuss answer: The spangram for today is “ITSAMYSTERY,” and it runs mostly vertical, starting with “IT”—just like a good twist, hiding in plain sight. It’s a word that sums up the whole vibe of today’s grid. I found myself muttering it aloud, chuckling slightly, remembering that time I absolutely bungled the ending of a real-life murder mystery party because I accused the host (yup, it was not the host).
Finding the spangram unlocked the puzzle for me. Suddenly, all those character types falling about the grid made sense—like solving the guest list for Gatsby’s mansion, only with more fingerprints.
All the Role-Players: Answers List
No dramatic build-up: here’s the list you came for.
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DETECTIVE
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HEIR
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LOVER
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RIVAL
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SPOUSE
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STRANGER
It’s as if someone emptied the casting folder for every classic whodunit story. While uncovering “DETECTIVE” was my first find (predictable, I know), it wasn’t until I stumbled on “STRANGER” that the grid started to hum. There’s a small thrill in realizing you’re picking apart the same archetypes that drive entire shelves worth of mysteries.
Honestly, I found today’s puzzle easy, but not dull. “Whodunit?” doesn’t try to trip you up with red herrings — instead, it’s about those archetypal roles we all know from every murder mystery dinner: the suspicious lover, a shifty rival, the spouse with perfect alibis… We’ve all met at least one of these folks at a wedding, right? (Or maybe that’s just my extended family.)
Fun side-note: “ITSAMYSTERY” also happens to be a catchy 1980s new wave song—I spent a few minutes down a rabbit hole, remembering the tune. So beware, this puzzle might leave you with that chorus looping in your head, long after the letters have faded from your screen.
