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NYT Strands Answer & Hints — “Taking the bait”, May 19, 2025

Stuck on the May 19, 2025 NYT Strands puzzle? Here are progressive hints and the full answer for the “Taking the bait” puzzle (Strands #136 of 509 in our archive). Every reveal is hidden by default — click to open the ones you need.

Spoiler warning. The answers below are for the May 19, 2025 NYT Strands puzzle. Scroll past this section if you want to solve it yourself first.
Hint 1: The themeReveal

The theme for the May 19, 2025 NYT Strands puzzle is “Taking the bait”. 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 “Taking the bait” puzzle is 15 letters long and starts with the letter S. It touches two opposite edges of the grid, as every NYT Strands spangram does.

Hint 3: How many theme wordsReveal

Besides the spangram, the May 19, 2025 NYT Strands puzzle has 5 theme words. Together with the spangram, they use every letter on the 6×8 grid exactly once.

Answer: Full spangramReveal

The spangram for the May 19, 2025 NYT Strands “Taking the bait” puzzle is SOMETHINGSFISHY. It spans two opposite edges of the 6×8 grid and captures the theme directly.

Answer: All theme wordsReveal

Here are the 5 theme words for the May 19, 2025 NYT Strands “Taking the bait” puzzle:

  • HALIBUT
  • MACKEREL
  • SALMON
  • SNAPPER
  • TROUT

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

Answers for the May 19, 2025 NYT Strands puzzle. Strands Unlimited is an independent fan archive — today's NYT Strands is free on nytimes.com/games/strands.

About the "Taking the bait" NYT Strands puzzle

This puzzle is themed "Taking the bait", a descriptive phrase that captures the essence of what you're searching for. In Strands, descriptive themes give you a broad direction without being too specific — the fun is in discovering exactly which science & technology words the puzzle maker chose to represent the idea. The spangram will name the core concept, and the theme words are its supporting cast.

This puzzle has 5 theme words hidden in the grid — a balanced count that gives you enough to work with without overwhelming the board. The 15-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 Monday, As puzzle #136 of 509+, this one comes from the middle of the Strands collection, when the puzzle makers had hit their stride.

#136
Puzzle Number
5
Theme Words
15
Spangram Letters
Medium
Difficulty

How to approach "Taking the bait"

  • The theme paints a picture. Brainstorm 5-10 words that come to mind when you read it, then scan the grid for those words or close variants.
  • The long 15-letter spangram is your best starting point. Scan the edges of the grid — the spangram must start on one side and end on the opposite side.
  • Work from the corners of the grid — corner letters have fewer possible neighboring connections, which limits where words can go and makes them easier to trace.
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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.