Saturday’s NYT Strands puzzle 545 is here, and wow, this one’s got some serious size to it! If you’re staring at that letter grid wondering where to start, don’t worry – I’ve tracked down all the theme words and that tricky spangram for you.
Today’s puzzle has a pretty clear theme once you spot the first couple of words, but some of those longer answers can be real head-scratchers to find in the grid.
Hints Before the Big Reveal
Let me give you some clues to help you solve this on your own first:
Theme Hint: Think about words that describe something really, really large Spangram Clue: A two-word phrase meaning something important or significant Word Length Hints:
- One 4-letter word
- Two 6-letter words
- One 7-letter word
- One 8-letter word
- One 8-letter word
Additional Hints:
- All words relate to size and scale
- Think synonyms for “big” and “large”
- The spangram connects the theme perfectly
- Look for words that might describe a whale, mountain, or skyscraper
My Solving Strategy
I always start by scanning the grid for obvious letter patterns and common word endings. Today I spotted “ING” pretty quickly, which led me to one of the longer theme words.
The theme became crystal clear after finding the first two words – everything revolves around size and magnitude. Once I had that figured out, it was much easier to hunt for the remaining words.
The spangram took me the longest to find, even though it perfectly captures the puzzle’s theme. Those two-word spangramS can be tricky because your brain wants to look for single words first.
Complete Answers (Spoiler Zone!)
Ready for all the solutions? Here’s everything you need for NYT Strands 545:
Theme Words:
- HUGE (4 letters)
- MIGHTY (6 letters)
- MASSIVE (7 letters)
- ENORMOUS (8 letters)
- COLOSSAL (8 letters)
- GIGANTIC (8 letters)
Spangram:
- BIG DEAL (7 letters total, spans the grid)
Why This Theme Works So Well
Today’s theme is all about words that mean “very large” or “impressive in size.” It’s one of those themes that feels obvious once you see it, but can be surprisingly challenging to spot at first.
HUGE is probably the most common of these words in everyday conversation. Short, simple, and gets the point across.
MIGHTY has that extra connotation of strength along with size – think mighty oaks or mighty rivers.
MASSIVE often describes physical bulk or weight, like a massive boulder or massive crowd.
ENORMOUS suggests something way beyond normal size – enormous appetites or enormous buildings.
COLOSSAL brings to mind those ancient Colossal statues, something monumentally large.
GIGANTIC is probably the most fun to say, and often describes things that seem almost impossibly big.
The spangram BIG DEAL ties it all together perfectly – when something is huge, massive, or colossal, it’s literally a big deal!
Strands Solving Tips
Here are some strategies that help me tackle these word search puzzles:
- Start by looking for common letter combinations and word endings
- Once you find one theme word, immediately search for related concepts
- Don’t ignore short words – they’re often the easiest entry point
- The spangram usually captures the theme in a clever way
- Work systematically through the grid rather than jumping around randomly
- If you’re stuck, try thinking of synonyms for words you’ve already found
The Beauty of Word Themes
What I love about today’s Strands is how all these words feel connected but each has its own personality. You might describe a huge pizza, an enormous appetite, a massive crowd, or a colossal mistake – same basic meaning, but each word brings its own flavor.
The puzzle makers did a great job choosing words that span different contexts too. MIGHTY works for both physical and metaphorical strength, while GIGANTIC almost always refers to physical size.
Play Today’s Strands
Want to tackle Strands 545 yourself? Head over to the official NYT Strands game and see how you do with today’s size-themed puzzle!
More Daily Word Puzzles
If you’re on a word puzzle streak like me, check out these other daily challenges:
- Today’s Quordle Answers (August 30, 2025)
- Today’s Wordle 1533 Hints and Answer (August 30, 2025)
- Today’s Worldle Answer (August 30, 2025)
- Today’s Globle Answer (August 30, 2025)
Final Thoughts
Strands 545 delivered a satisfying theme with a nice mix of word lengths and difficulty levels. The 4-letter HUGE was probably the easiest to spot, while those 8-letter words required some serious grid-scanning skills.
Did you manage to find all six theme words and the spangram? Which one gave you the most trouble? I always find that once you crack the theme, the remaining words seem to jump out at you.
Tomorrow’s Strands 546 is just around the corner – let’s see what theme the puzzle makers have cooked up for us next!
