NYT Strands #456: Don’t Get Stuck on Grapes! Today On the Vine Hints & Answers Revealed (June 2)
Ready to tackle another brain-tickling NYT Strands puzzle? The daily word hunt from the New York Times continues to delight and sometimes stump players worldwide. If you’re looking for a nudge (or the full solution!) for Strands #456, which went live at midnight on Monday, June 2nd, you’ve come to the right place.
NYT Strands has quickly become a fan-favorite, joining the ranks of Wordle, Connections, and Spelling Bee. It’s a fantastic test of your vocabulary and pattern-spotting skills. But let’s be honest, some days are trickier than others! So, let’s dive into today’s verdant challenge.
SPOILER WARNING: Hints and answers for NYT Strands #456 (Monday, June 2nd) are below. Proceed with caution if you want to solve it yourself!
NYT Strands Today (Game #456) – Hints for ‘On the Vine’
Feeling a bit tangled up? Here are some clues to help you cultivate success:
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Hint #1 – Today’s Theme: The theme for today’s puzzle is refreshingly simple: On the vine.
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Hint #2 – Unlocking In-Game Clues: If you’re stuck, try finding common words related to things that grow. Even one or two non-theme words can unlock the in-game hint system if you find enough of them.
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Hint #3 – Spangram Length: Today’s spangram, the word that describes the puzzle’s overall theme and touches two opposite sides of the board, is 6 letters long.
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Hint #4 – Spangram Position: Look for the spangram to stretch horizontally. It starts on the left side, in the 4th row, and extends to the right side, also in the 4th row.
Still puzzling it out? Take your time! But if you’re ripe for the answers…
FINAL SPOILER ALERT! The solutions for NYT Strands #456 are directly below.
NYT Strands Today (Game #456) – The Answers (Monday, June 2nd)
The theme words and spangram for today’s “On the vine” puzzle are:
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SPANGRAM: TOMATO
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PLUM
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CHERRY
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BEEFSTEAK
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HEIRLOOM
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JUBILEE
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LUNCHBOX
My Thoughts on Today’s Puzzle (Rated: Easy, Score: 1 hint):
Like many, my first thought with “On the vine” immediately went to grapes or perhaps wine varieties. After a fruitless (pun intended!) search, I caved and took a hint, which revealed PLUM. Soon after, I spotted CHERRY. “Ah, fruit!” I thought, even though plums and cherries don’t typically grow on what we’d traditionally call vines.
The real “aha!” moment, or perhaps the “tomato-drop” moment, came with BEEFSTEAK. That’s no ordinary fruit salad ingredient! It quickly became clear the puzzle was all about different types of TOMATOES. Varieties like JUBILEE and LUNCHBOX were new discoveries for me, adding an educational twist to the game! It’s funny how a seemingly straightforward theme can lead you down the garden path (or vineyard, as I initially suspected).
This whole tomato train of thought got me wondering about the famous La Tomatina festival in Spain. Turns out, they use over-ripe Valencian pear tomatoes, specifically for their softness – so don’t even think about showing up with a firm supermarket cherry tomato, you might get banned for life!
What About Yesterday’s Strands? (Sunday, June 1, Game #455)
Missed yesterday’s courtroom drama? For Sunday, June 1st (Game #455), the spangram was YOUR HONOR, with theme words like BAIL, COURTROOM, ALIBI, MOTION, and OBJECTION.
What is NYT Strands?
New to Strands? It’s the New York Times’ popular word search game where you find theme words in a grid of letters. The words can go in any direction (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally), and finding them reveals a ‘spangram’ that summarizes the puzzle’s theme and connects two opposite edges of the board. It’s a daily delight, available on the NYT Games site for desktop and mobile. If you’re looking for more tips, check out a full guide on how to play NYT Strands.
How did you do with today’s “On the vine” Strands? Did the tomato theme click for you right away, or were you also searching for Chardonnays and Merlots? Let us know your experience and score in the comments below!
