Daily Strands Answers for August 21, 2025

Today’s NYT Strands Answers and Explanations

Today's New York Times Strands puzzle features theme "Marvel-ous and then some," with all the words in the puzzle connected to Marvel Comics characters, who have all appeared in various comic books, TV shows, and films. Let's look at each word in detail and see how they are related to the theme:

• HULK - The Incredible Hulk, also known as Bruce Banner, is a superhero in the Marvel Universe known for his immense strength and green skin. When Banner gets angry, he turns into the Hulk, who possesses nearly unlimited physical strength.
• WOLVERINE - Wolverine, whose real name is James Howlett but commonly known as Logan, is a character with animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, and a regenerative healing factor. He is also famous for his retractable claws and his membership in the X-Men team.
• STORM - Storm, or Ororo Munroe, is a mutant member of the X-Men with the ability to control the weather. She is one of the most prominent members of the team and has been depicted both in comics and on screen as a powerful and wise leader.
• DAREDEVIL - Daredevil is the alias of Matt Murdock, a blind lawyer who fights crime in the courtrooms by day and takes on New York City's criminals by night using his enhanced other senses and martial arts skills.
• THING - The Thing, known as Ben Grimm, is a member of the Fantastic Four with a rock-like exterior and superhuman strength. He is known for his catchphrase, "It's clobberin' time!"
• ROGUE - Rogue is a mutant, often associated with the X-Men, who has the ability to absorb and sometimes permanently take on the powers and memories of others through touch. Her real name is Anna Marie, although her surname has never been revealed.

The spangram for today's puzzle is SUPERHEROES, which is apt as it represents the broader category these characters belong to. A spangram is a word or phrase that uses every letter of the alphabet at least once, and in this case, the word "SUPERHEROES" encompasses the realm from which all the puzzle answers are drawn.

Each of the answers in the puzzle represents a different hero from the Marvel Comics universe, showcasing the diversity and popularity of characters from the Marvel franchise. The heroes range from those with extraordinary powers afforded to them by their mutant genetics, like Storm and Wolverine, to those who became extraordinary through accidents or by harnessing their innate human potential, like the Hulk and Daredevil. These characters have not only been pivotal figures in comic books but have also become cultural icons through various film and television adaptations.