Looking for the answers and hints for the Strands puzzle from August 18, 2025? You’ve come to the right place! Every day, we archive the solutions to help you check your work or get that final clue you need. Below you will find all the answers for yesterday’s Strands challenge.
Strands Hints for August 18, 2025
Here are all the official hints to guide you toward the solution.
- Consider this your first step: when the path becomes blocked, you might use this term figuratively or literally to describe what's impeding your progress.
- Jump into action and think of a term that might describe a shoe often associated with athleticism and a design for comfort and performance.
- Take a leisurely stroll down the lanes of Mediterranean style, where a casual, lightweight fabric shoe is woven into the culture.
- As you cozy up to find the solution, imagine what you might slip into for comfort at home—soft, warm, and traditionally indoors.
- While piecing together today's Strands, lay the groundwork with a term that steps into a breezy, open-toed option often paired with sunny weather.
- Don't loaf around; this hint is for a laid-back shoe style that often slips on without the need for fastenings or laces.
- Finally, bring all the elements together, focusing on the all-encompassing word that could tread across all the previous hints—and is also today's pangram!
Spoiler Warning!
The final answers are below. Stop scrolling now if you want to solve it yourself!
Strands Answer for August 18, 2025
Here is the final, official answer for the Strands puzzle that was released on August 18, 2025.
Today’s NYT Strands Answers: If the shoe fits …
In today's 'NYT Strands' puzzle, we have a collection of words that are all related to a common theme: footwear. Each answer represents a different type of shoe, offering a variety that covers a range of styles, purposes, and fashion. Here's a detailed look at each of the words and how they connect to today's theme.
- CLOG: A clog is a type of footwear traditionally made from wood. These shoes are characterized by their sturdy construction and typically have a solid, somewhat heavy sole. They originated in Europe and have been worn for centuries. Today, clogs can also refer to shoe styles with a thick, chunky heel or platform and often come with a slip-on design. This type of shoe fits within the puzzle's theme by representing a unique style known for its cultural background and contemporary versions used in culinary, medical, and fashion contexts.
- SNEAKER: Sneakers are a ubiquitous form of footwear featuring a flexible rubber sole with an upper part usually made of leather or synthetic materials. Designed for sports and other forms of physical exercise, they are now widely popular as casual wear. The term "sneaker" was adopted because their rubber soles do not make noise, 'sneaking around' without creating a sound. Given today's theme, sneakers are a perfect fit, representing the casual and athletic side of footwear.
- ESPADRILLE: Espadrilles are light summer shoes that have a canvas or cotton fabric upper and a flexible sole made of esparto rope or similar material. This type of shoe is often associated with warm weather and beachside or holiday fashion, making it yet another fit for the footwear theme. With origins in the Pyrenees region on the border between France and Spain, espadrilles bring an element of traditional and seasonal style to the puzzle.
- SLIPPER: Slippers are lightweight shoes that are easy to slip on and off, typically worn indoors. They are known for their comfort and are often made from soft materials with a thin sole. Slippers can come in various designs, from open-toed to encompassing ones, and they aptly fit within our theme as the embodiment of cozy, indoor footwear.
- SANDAL: A sandal is an open type of shoe with straps that secure the sole to the foot. Sandals can vary greatly in design and purpose, from comfortable walking versions to decorative dress shoes. As a staple of summer fashion or warm-weather footwear, sandals fit into today's theme by representing a minimalistic and ventilated shoe style.
- LOAFER: Loafers are a classic type of slip-on shoe with no laces or buckles. They can be worn in casual or more formal settings and are known for their sleek design and ease of wear. Traditionally made from leather, loafers have become popular in various materials and styles. They match today's footwear theme as an example of versatility and enduring design in shoe fashion.
The spangram for today's puzzle, FOOTWEAR, ties the theme together perfectly, as it's a comprehensive term that encompasses all types of shoes, including the six answers listed above. Each word relates to the spangram by being a specific example of footwear, illustrating the broad range of available styles and their respective uses and cultural significances.
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