NYT Strands Hints October 22: Theme, Answers, and Spangram Revealed

Today’s NYT Strands puzzle for October 22, 2025, puzzle No. 598, comes with the theme “Catch All.” Players are tasked with finding words that fit the concept of a “mess of items,” a clue that many found both fun and relatable. The puzzle, published by The New York Times, challenges solvers to uncover several hidden theme words plus the special “spangram” that stretches across the board.

Many fans noted this puzzle’s theme hits close to home—after all, who doesn’t have at least one junk drawer in their house? Here’s a full breakdown of today’s hints, answers, and the final solution for NYT Strands #598.

All NYT Strands Hints and Answers for October 22

The Strands puzzle’s daily goal is to find all theme words connected to the topic “Catch All.” Players unlock hints by identifying regular words of four letters or more. Once you find three such words, the game reveals one theme word automatically. Today’s suggested clue words included BATE, LICE, SLUM, CAPE, HOLE, CARE, and SAMBA, among others.

After working through the clues, the final list of theme words appeared as follows:

• TAPE
• COIN
• PENCIL
• BATTERY
• SHOELACE
• THUMBTACK

These everyday objects perfectly capture the “junk drawer” vibe — small, random items that somehow end up together in one place.

Today’s Strands Spangram

The spangram for October 22’s puzzle is JUNKDRAWER. It ties the entire theme together, representing the ultimate “catch-all” for miscellaneous items. To find it, start at the letter J located five rows down on the far-left side, then follow the path winding down, across, and up through the grid.

This type of theme delighted many Strands players for its relatable and humorous twist, showing how ordinary life can make for a clever puzzle concept.

Game Strategy and Tips

To maximize your Strands solving speed, remember a few quick strategies. First, tweak words you’ve already found—adding an “S” or exploring variants can reveal more clue words. Second, after spotting one theme word, search nearby sections of the grid for related objects. Finally, if you’re stuck, uncover three more clue words to trigger the in-game reveal animation for the next theme word.

These small steps can turn a challenging puzzle into a satisfying win, especially when facing multi-part themes like “Catch All.”

In summary: The NYT Strands puzzle for October 22, 2025, No. 598, centers on the theme “Catch All,” featuring items you’d typically find in a junk drawer. The spangram JUNKDRAWER perfectly ties together today’s collection of scattered household objects, making it one of the most relatable puzzles of the month.

FYI (keeping you in the loop)-

Q1: What is the NYT Strands theme for October 22, 2025?

The theme is “Catch All,” inspired by random items you might find in a junk drawer.

Q2: What is today’s Strands spangram?

Today’s spangram is JUNKDRAWER.

Q3: What are the theme words in today’s Strands puzzle?

TAPE, COIN, PENCIL, BATTERY, SHOELACE, and THUMBTACK.

Q4: How can players unlock theme word hints in Strands?

By finding any three words of four or more letters, the puzzle automatically reveals one theme word.

Q5: Where can players find more NYT Strands puzzles?

New puzzles are published daily in The New York Times Games section alongside Wordle and Connections.