
Need a bit of help with NYT Strands today? No shame in that, and you've come to the right place. Below, we've compiled some useful hints for Strands #534, as well as the answers, should it come to that.
We'll start off with some clues, before building up to the full answer for Strands #534, so read on if you need a little help.
Warning: Spoilers lie ahead for Strands #534.
Today's NYT Strands answer — Today's theme and hints
The official theme for NYT Strands #534 is... "Dash it!"
And here's an unofficial hint from me: "Two words in one."
If you're still in the dark, here are some useful words to give you those valuable clue tokens:
- SILLY
- COUSCOUS
- TOILET
- DEATH
- HILLY
- HEAD
- WHIP
- HOTEL
Still struggling? The spangram will give you a hint about the connection word. Today, it starts with 'H' and ends with 'D'.
Scroll down to find out what it is...
It's HYPHENATED.
Today's Strands answers
So, what are today's Strands answers for game #534?
Drumroll, please...
- PELLMELL
- HOITYTOITY
- WILLYNILLY
- HOCUSPOCUS

...and the spangram was HYPHENATED.
Strands #534
“Dash it!”
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Hi Strands fans. I found today's puzzle more than a little frustrating. It's not that I didn't understand the theme - in fact, I found the spangram of HYPHENATED right away - it's just that the answers themselves aren't exactly what you'd call commonly used phrases.
In fact, after finding the spangram, I had to use a clue which revealed PELLMELL - an adverb I was wholly unfamiliar with before today. Fortunately, that meant I just had an anagram to decode for my second answer, and I quickly unpicked TOIYYTTIOH to spell HOITYTOITY.
The top half was equally vexing. After much concentration, I eventually spotted WILLYNILLY in the top-left corner, but that didn't make the final answer much easier to find. It took me an embarrassing amount of time, but I eventually realized that POCSSUUCOH was an anagram of HOCUSPOCUS to complete the puzzle.
Yesterday's Strands answers
Reading this in a later time zone? Here are the Strands answers for game #533.

- CLOG
- SLIPPER
- ESPADRILLE
- SANDAL
- SNEAKER
- LOAFER
...and the spangram was FOOTWEAR.
Strands #533
“If the shoe fits ...”
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Hi Strands fans. A nice easy one today. What else can the theme of "If the shoe fits..." refer to other than shoes and other footwear?
The last word of that sentence was, of course, the spangram. I found it right away, spelt from the top of the board to the bottom, neatly dividing the grid in two, with three answers on each side.
I started with the right, where I found CLOG in the bottom corner, followed by SLIPPER at the top. Between the two was ESPADRILLE, which I'm not sure I'd have found if I hadn't eliminated the other answers on the side first.
Moving on to the left-hand side, SANDAL jumped out at me right away in the middle, which gave me two anagrams to unpick to complete the puzzle. At the top, ENASRKE became SNEAKER, while at the top, AFOREL became LOAFER.
Got some thoughts about today's puzzle you want to share? Email us at scott.younker@futurenet.com, alyse.stanley@futurenet.com or jeff.parsons@futurenet.com to get in touch.