Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Sept. 4, #915

Today's Strands puzzle has some fairly long answers, and they may take time to unscramble. If you need hints and answers, read on.

Hint for today's Strands puzzle

Today's Strands theme is: To the rescue.

If that doesn't help you, here's a clue:Not cowardly.

Clue words to unlock in-game hints

Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle's theme. If you're stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints, but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:

• GEAR, RAGE, RACE, RACES, CARE, CARES, FLEA, FLEAS, ROLE, ROLES, HEAR, HEART

Answers for today's Strands puzzle

These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you have all of them (I originally thought there were always eight, but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers:

• BRAVE, FEARLESS, INTREPID, COURAGEOUS, LIONHEARTED

Today's Strands spangram

Today's Strands spangram is HEROES.To find it, start with the H that's four letters down on the far-left row, and follow it straight across to spell out the word.

Toughest Strands puzzles

Here are some of the Strands topics I've found to be the toughest.

#1: Dated slang. Maybe you didn't even use this lingo when it was cool. Toughest word: PHAT.

#2: Thar she blows! I guess marine biologists might ace this one. Toughest word: BALEEN or RIGHT. 

#3: Off the hook. Again, it helps to know a lot about sea creatures. Sorry, Charlie. Toughest word: BIGEYE or SKIPJACK.

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