NYT Strands Sidekick publishes hints for May 1 puzzle
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · May 1
NYT Strands Sidekick publishes hints for May 1 puzzle
2 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 1
Sidekick No. 789 says the May 1, 2026 game is rated easy by paid testers and includes spoiler warnings plus a hint generator.
The New York Times said it publishes two Sidekicks daily based on Eastern Standard Time to serve players across time zones and directs users to match posts by puzzle number.
Earlier external coverage identified the puzzle theme as Hawaiian culture, with the spangram “Aloha Spirit” and words including luau, poke, hula and ukulele.
Can a puzzle truly honor a culture, or does gamifying concepts like 'Aloha Spirit' risk misrepresenting them for profit?
With user revenue declining, why is the NYT making its Games division's financial performance less transparent starting this year?
How does a cultural value like 'Aloha Spirit' become a state law used to challenge U.S. Supreme Court rulings?