NYT Strands today — hints, answers and spangram for Friday, July 12 (game #131)

The week comes to a close with a more difficult Strands puzzle. Or at least that was my experience; maybe you’ll find it far easier. If you do struggle, there are hints below.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my Wordle today, NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don’t read on if you don’t want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #131) – hint #1 – today’s theme

NYT Strands today (game #131) – hint #2 – clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

• ECHO
• HOAX
• ORDER
• SORE
• ROPE
• SLOT

NYT Strands today (game #131) – hint #3 – spangram

NYT Strands today (game #131) – hint #4 – spangram position

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #131) – the answers

The answers to today’s Strands, game #131, are…

• SOUL
• ACCORD
• OUTBACK
• CHARGER
• EQUINOX
• EXPLORER
• SPANGRAM: CARMODELS

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 4 hints

For the first time in ages I needed lots of hints for today’s Strands. I do think it’s a hard one wherever you are, but I suspect it’ll be particularly tough if you’re not in the US. A model such as the Chevrolet EQUINOX or the Dodge CHARGER is not available over here, as far as I know – or certainly not in great numbers. Most of the others are, I think, but the connection simply didn’t occur to me until I’d used four hints. I’m not complaining; I have heard of each of these models and could have solved it with a little inspiration or more patience maybe, I’m merely justifying my poor score today!

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.

Yesterday’s NYT Strands answers (Thursday 11 July, game #130)

• BUTTER
• CHILI
• BACON
• CHIVES
• CHEDDAR
• BROCCOLI
• SPANGRAM: BAKEDPOTATO

Marc is TechRadar’s Global Editor in Chief, the latest in a long line of senior editorial roles he’s held in a career that started the week that Google launched (nice of them to mark the occasion). Prior to joining TR, he was UK Editor in Chief on Tom’s Guide, where he oversaw all gaming, streaming, audio, TV, entertainment, how-to and cameras coverage. He’s also a former editor of the tech website Stuff and spent five years at the music magazine NME, where his duties mainly involved spoiling other people’s fun. He’s based in London, and has tested and written about phones, tablets, wearables, streaming boxes, smart home devices, Bluetooth speakers, headphones, games, TVs, cameras and pretty much every other type of gadget you can think of. An avid photographer, Marc likes nothing better than taking pictures of very small things (bugs, his daughters) or very big things (distant galaxies). He also enjoys live music, gaming, cycling, and beating Wordle (he authors the daily Wordle today page).