NYT Strands hint for August 20: Split Superlatives answers
Looking for today's strands hint? Thursday's NYT Strands for August 20 uses the theme Split Superlatives. The horizontal spangram is YOU'RE THE, and the theme words pair into praise idioms: the bee's knees, the cat's pajamas, the gold standard, and the very best. Full hints and answers are below. For more daily digital culture coverage, browse our Future Tech & AI Wonders hub.
Key Takeaways
- August 20 Strands theme: Split Superlatives (praise idioms split across the board).
- Spangram: YOU'RE THE (horizontal).
- Theme words: BEES, KNEES, CATS, PAJAMAS, GOLD, STANDARD, VERY, BEST.
- Extra nudge from solvers: think "top and bottom" halves of classic compliments.
What is today's NYT Strands hint?
The official theme clue is Split Superlatives. Mashable framed the same board as idioms that describe someone as excellent—think yearbook-style superlatives cut in two.
Forbes contributor Paul Tassi offered a lighter nudge: "Top and bottom." That points solvers toward pairing words that sit on opposite ends of familiar praise phrases rather than hunting random nouns.
What is the Strands spangram for August 20?
The spangram is YOU'RE THE (written as YOURETHE on the grid). According to Forbes' August 20 Strands write-up, that special answer unlocks the theme, and Mashable notes it runs horizontally.
In Strands, the spangram links two opposite sides of the board and explains what the theme words share. Once it lights up in yellow, the split praise phrases snap into focus.
What are today's Strands answers?
Both Forbes and Mashable list the same theme words for Thursday, August 20:
- BEES
- KNEES
- CATS
- PAJAMAS
- GOLD
- STANDARD
- VERY
- BEST
Read together with the spangram, they form "You're the bee's knees," "You're the cat's pajamas," "You're the gold standard," and "You're the very best."
Tassi noted the theme can feel opaque at first—finding cats or bees alone does not explain the board until the pairs click. If you only want a soft strands hint before full spoilers, start with Split Superlatives and horizontal YOU'RE THE, then fill the pairs.
How does NYT Strands work?
Strands is the New York Times' twist on a classic word search: a six-by-eight letter grid where every letter belongs to an answer. Words link up, down, left, right, or diagonally and may change direction mid-path.
Find themed words (highlighted blue) plus the spangram (yellow). Themes can be categories, synonyms, process steps, or fill-in-the-blank phrases—editor Tracy Bennett mixes difficulty across the week, per NYT notes cited by Forbes.