Looking for the most recent NYT Strands puzzle answers? CNET publishes daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Strands is like a word find game, but without the list of words to find. Sometimes I see the theme and begin recognizing the answers right away. But for those times when I can’t seem to manage this, I use a loophole: Strands lets you make as many words of four or more letters as you want. For every three of those words found, the puzzle will highlight one of the answers. You’re still going to have to unscramble that answer, though, which can be very tough.

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

Today’s puzzle theme is fun and creative. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy. Some of the words really took some work to unscramble, and I wonder if some people won’t understand the spangram. Read on for hints and all the answers.

Hint for today’s Strands puzzle

Today’s Strands theme is: A figment of your imagination.

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: Did that really happen?

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:

• RIMS, CLOTH, CLOT, SPAT, PATS, MIRE, HILL, HILLS, WASP, IMAGE, CHIME, CHAT, CHAP, TOLL

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:

• MIRAGE, CHIMERA, SPECTER, ILLUSION, PHANTASM

Today’s Strands spangram

Today’s Strands spangram is WILLOTHEWISP. (A will-o’-the-wisp is a ghostly light sometimes found in old scary stories and folktales.) To find it, start with the W that’s the last letter in the far-left vertical row, and wind up.

CNET editor Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, a journalist and pop-culture junkie, is co-author of “Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops? The Lost Toys, Tastes and Trends of the ’70s and ’80s,” as well as “The Totally Sweet ’90s.” She’s been a journalist since 1989, working at Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, Twin Cities Sidewalk, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and NBC News Digital. She’s Gen X in birthdate, word and deed. If Marathon candy bars ever come back, she’ll be first in line.

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