NYT Strands Hints, Spangram, and Answers for May 4, 2024

The horror fan in me was beyond thrilled to find a shade of it in today’s Strands. The good thing is, if you are a horror-head like me, oh boy, this puzzle is going to be way too easy. If not, you’re going to need all the help. So, here’s a quick rundown of the hints and answers for the May 4 NYT Strands!

What is the Theme for Today’s NYT Strands?

As revealed by the New York Times, the theme for today’s Strands is “The horror”.


NYT Strands Theme

Spangram Hint for Today’s Strands


Spoiler Warning #1
Even though we try our best to be subtle, the hints below might partially spoil the experience. You’ve been warned.

Every Strands game has that one Spangram that you need to decipher and today’s was no exception. The hint for today’s Spangram is – “Horror flicks”.

Theme Words Hints for Today’s Strands

If you have figured out the Spangram from the above hint, figuring out the theme words will be easy. However, I don’t want to ruin it for you. Instead, here are three theme word hints that may help you:


  • Hint #1: Alfred Hitchcock’s most popular horror title
  • Hint #2: Ghostface was the antagonist in this movie series


Spoiler Warning #2
The next sections reveal the answers for today’s NYT Strands. So, I’d recommend not scrolling further if you are still solving the puzzle. However, if you are stuck, I suggest scrolling a wee bit to see the Spangram answer.

Spangram Answer for NYT Strands on May 4

The Spangram for today’s NYT Strands puzzle is SCARYMOVIE, and it runs from bottom to top on the letters grid.

Apart from the Spangram, you need to find 5 theme words in today’s puzzle. However, if you are having a tough time getting through the Strands, check out some tips and tricks in my guide on how to play NYT Strands.

Anyway, with that being said, let’s go to the next section. However, proceed only if you are ready to check out the theme words.

List of Theme Words for NYT Strands on May 4

If you have scrolled this far, you are probably ready to see the answers. So, let’s take a look at today’s theme words in Strands:


  • HALLOWEEN
  • PSYCHO
  • POLTERGEIST
  • SCREAM
  • HOSTEL


NYT Strands Solved

Being the horror enthusiast that I am, I instantly found PSYCHO in the bottom left. Meanwhile, in the bottom right, there was HALLOWEEN. Ooo, Michael Myers definitely gave me nightmares as a kid. Anyway, right above it, I found POLTERGEIST too and that instantly helped me find SCARYMOVIE as the bottom-to-top Spangram for the day.

The last couple of grids on the left gave me HOSTEL and SCREAM. That concluded my super fun round for the day. Of course, I didn’t have to use any hints. Well, I’m certainly going to rewatch all these movies for sure. Weekend’s sorted.

What about you? Are you a horror head too? If so, did you find the Strands today easy or was it a bit hard and made you use up a hint? Do let me know in the comments down below!