NYT Strands hints and answers for Sunday, June 15 (game #469)

Looking for NYT Strands answers and hints? Here's all you need to know to solve today's game, including the spangram.

Jun 14, 2025 - 21:00

NYT Strands hints and answers for Sunday, June 15 (game #469)

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Saturday, June 14 (game #468).

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.

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 #469) - hint #1 - today's theme

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Here's to him!

NYT Strands today (game #469) - hint #2 - clue words

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

SCORE
PEACH
THERE
HAIL
PROLE
CROP

NYT Strands today (game #469) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 10 letters

NYT Strands today (game #469) - hint #4 - spangram position

What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 5th row

Last side: right, 5th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #469) - the answers

NYT Strands answers for game 469 on a blue background — (Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #469, are…

CHALUPA
CRAWDAD
POPCORN
PAPARAZZI
POPSICLE
SPANGRAM: FATHERS DAY

My rating: Moderate
My score: 1 hint

As obvious as it seems in hindsight it took me two words before I realised that today’s theme was a homage to the world’s fathers, with a selection of words featuring either pa, papa, dad or pop.

I spent a while wondering what Mexican food (CHALUPA) has got to do with shellfish (CRAWDAD) before I got it.

Although there is a sentiment that FATHER’S DAY is merely a holiday to generate some summertime cash for the greeting card industry, I say any day that allows you to appreciate family is a good thing.

I do, however, think that some companies go too far trying to climb on board that dad train – chocolate and whisky is one thing, but a department store I was in last week had a sign beside a desktop printer that said “Give your father what he really wants this Father’s Day”. I think I can speak on behalf of most fathers when I say that what we really want is not a printer.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Saturday, June 14, game #468)

CROSS
MOON
TRIANGLE
STAR
STRIPE
CROWN
SHIELD
SPANGRAM: FLAG SYMBOL

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.