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NYT Strands Answer & Hints — “On the hunt”, April 20, 2025

Stuck on the April 20, 2025 NYT Strands puzzle? Here are progressive hints and the full answer for the “On the hunt” puzzle (Strands #107 of 510 in our archive). Every reveal is hidden by default — click to open the ones you need.

Spoiler warning. The answers below are for the April 20, 2025 NYT Strands puzzle. Scroll past this section if you want to solve it yourself first.
Hint 1: The themeReveal

The theme for the April 20, 2025 NYT Strands puzzle is “On the hunt”. Every theme word and the spangram connects back to this phrase, so think about what related words might fit a 6×8 grid of 48 letters before you start scanning.

Hint 2: Spangram length and first letterReveal

The spangram for the “On the hunt” puzzle is 12 letters long and starts with the letter E. It touches two opposite edges of the grid, as every NYT Strands spangram does.

Hint 3: How many theme wordsReveal

Besides the spangram, the April 20, 2025 NYT Strands puzzle has 7 theme words. Together with the spangram, they use every letter on the 6×8 grid exactly once.

Answer: Full spangramReveal

The spangram for the April 20, 2025 NYT Strands “On the hunt” puzzle is EASTERBASKET. It spans two opposite edges of the 6×8 grid and captures the theme directly.

Answer: All theme wordsReveal

Here are the 7 theme words for the April 20, 2025 NYT Strands “On the hunt” puzzle:

  • BOOK
  • BUNNY
  • CANDY
  • CHOCOLATE
  • EGGS
  • PEEPS
  • TOYS

Plus the spangram EASTERBASKET, that’s every word on the grid — all 48 letters accounted for.

Answers for the April 20, 2025 NYT Strands puzzle. Strands Unlimited is an independent fan archive — today's NYT Strands is free on nytimes.com/games/strands.

About the "On the hunt" NYT Strands puzzle

The theme "On the hunt" plays with language in a way that's typical of the best Strands puzzles. There's likely a double meaning or clever twist embedded in this phrase — and the spangram reveals which interpretation the puzzle maker intended. This arts & culture puzzle rewards lateral thinking. Don't just take the theme at face value; consider what else the words could mean when read a different way.

At 7 theme words, this is one of the denser puzzles in the archive. The grid is packed, so words will be closer together. The 12-letter spangram is notably long, consuming a good chunk of the grid's 48 letters. Its size makes it easier to find if you focus on the grid's edges. Originally published on a Sunday, As puzzle #107 of 510+, this one comes from the middle of the Strands collection, when the puzzle makers had hit their stride.

#107
Puzzle Number
7
Theme Words
12
Spangram Letters
Challenging
Difficulty

How to approach "On the hunt"

  • This theme contains wordplay — don't take it at face value. Think about alternative meanings and which interpretation the hidden words might support.
  • With 7 theme words and a long spangram, nearly every letter in the grid belongs to a word. Start with the spangram — it uses many letters and opens up the board significantly.
  • The spangram always describes or names the theme. If you can guess the theme from the title alone, you effectively know the spangram — then just find its path in the grid.
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Strands Unlimited is an independent fan archive of past Strands puzzles. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by The New York Times Company. NYT Strands is a trademark of The New York Times Company. Today's daily puzzle is free at nytimes.com/games/strands.