Technologies

Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Sept. 30, #576

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for Sept. 30, No. 576.

Looking for the most recent Strands answer? Click here for our daily Strands hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s NYT Strands puzzle is a bit tricky. Some of the answers are a bit tough to unscramble, so if you need hints and answers, read on.

I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So Far

Hint for today’s Strands puzzle

Today’s Strands theme is: For goodness’ sake

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: Fine qualities to have.

Clue words to unlock in-game hints

Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:

HONE, HOSE, PATS, STEP, PATH, PORE, ROPE, TAPE, TAPES, HONES, SHONE, HONEST, COOP, COOPER, DISC

Answers for today’s Strands puzzle

These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you have all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers:

EMPATHY, HONESTY, RESPECT, DISCIPLINE, COOPERATION

Today’s Strands spangram

Today’s Strands spangram is VALUES. To find it, look for the V that’s four letters down on the far-right row, and wind backwards.

Toughest Strands puzzles

Here are some of the Strands topics I’ve found to be the toughest in recent weeks.

#1: Dated slang, Jan. 21. Maybe you didn’t even use this lingo when it was cool. Toughest word: PHAT.

#2: Thar she blows! Jan.15. I guess marine biologists might ace this one. Toughest word: BALEEN or RIGHT.

#3: Off the hook, Jan. 9. Similar to the Jan. 15 puzzle in that it helps to know a lot about sea creatures. Sorry, Charlie. Toughest word: BIGEYE or SKIPJACK.

Technologies

Black Friday Is Wrapped but Deals on the PlayStation, Xbox and Switch Are Still Dropping

Technologies

The Best PS5 Controller Is Back to $160 for Black Friday Weekend, and It’ll Likely Be Gone by Cyber Monday

This unbeatable deal brings the PlayStation DualSense Edge wireless controller back down to its lowest price on record.

Black Friday weekend is here and Cyber Monday is up next. These major shopping events promise to bring some of the lowest ever prices on thousands of products, including gaming gear. If you’re shopping for a special gamer for the holidays, look no further than this PlayStation DualSense wireless controller for $40 off at Amazon.

This discount brings one of our favorite wireless controllers and down to just $160 for select colors. With this discount, Amazon matches the controller’s lowest ever price on record. Amazon’s deal also includes a pouch with extra accessories, including stick caps and USB-C cable. If you want the controller on its own, it’ll cost you $59, which saves you $40.

The DualSense wireless controller can be used with PS5 consoles, Mac or Windows devices. It features mappable back buttons and replaceable stick modules so you can customize your controller. DualSense features include haptics, a built-in microphone, adaptive triggers and more. Keep in mind that only some games work with DualSense.

Your lengthy gaming sessions will be more comfortable thanks to the controller’s ergonomic design and anti-slip inner grips. The included pouch makes it easy for you to store and organize the Edge wireless controller and its components. Along with its accoutrements, the DualSense Edge allows you to quickly switch profiles so your friends and loved ones can join you on the fun.

Keep in mind that the $160 price tag only applies to certain colors. Other controller colors, such as Edge midnight black, are down to $170.

CHEAP GAMING LAPTOP DEALS OF THE WEEK

Alienware 16 Aurora AC16250 Intel 7 RTX 5060 512GB SSD 16GB RAM 16-inch 120Hz Laptop:

$1,000 (save $350)
Lenovo LOQ Intel i5 13th Gen RTX 5050 1TB SSD 16GB RAM 15.6-inch Laptop:

$750 (save $295)
HP Omen Ryzen AI 7 RTX 5060 1TB SSD 16GB RAM 16-inch 2K Laptop:

$950 (save $850)
Acer Nitro V Intel i7 RTX 4050 1TB SSD 16GB RAM 15.6-inch Laptop:

$800 (save $150)
Alienware 16 Aurora AC16250 Intel 7 RTX 5050 512GB SSD 16GB RAM 16-inch 120Hz Laptop:

$800 (save $400)

Deals are selected by the CNET Group commerce team, and may be unrelated to this article.

Why this deal matters

Sony’s PlayStation is one of the most popular gaming consoles on the planet. It’s famous for its responsive features, game quality and elegant design. However, PlayStation accessories can be costly. This $40 discount brings the DualSense Edge wireless controller down to just $160, matching its previous record low.

We’re keeping up with all lingering Black Friday and upcoming Cyber Monday deals, so check back often to maximize your savings.

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