StrandsNYTLooking for Wednesday’s Strands hints, spangram and answers? You can find them here:ForbesToday’s NYT Strands Hints, Spangram, Answers: Wednesday, July 29 (A Made Man)By Paul TassiPretty easy Strands today and you may even find your last name inside of it. How To Play StrandsThe New York Times’ Strands puzzle is a play on the classic word search. It’s in beta for now, which means it’ll only stick around if enough people play it every day.There’s a new game of Strands to play every day. The game will present you with a six by eight grid of letters. The aim is to find a group of words that have something in common, and you’ll get a clue as to what that theme is. When you find a theme word, it will remain highlighted in blue.You’ll also need to find a special word called a spangram. This tells you what the words have in common. The spangram links two opposite sides of the board. While the theme words will not be a proper name, the spangram can be a proper name. When you find the spangram, it will remain highlighted in yellow.Be warned: You’ll need to be on your toes.“Some themes are fill-in-the-blank phrases. They may also be steps in a process, items that all belong to the same category, synonyms or homophones,” The New York Times notes. “Just as she varies the difficulty of Wordle puzzles within a week, [Wordle and Strands editor Tracy] Bennett plans to throw Strands solvers curveballs every once in a while.”Play Puzzles & Games on ForbesWhat Is Today’s Strands Hint?Time to do the NYT hint and then my own hint after that:Trade namesAnd mine is:Use your handsToday’s NYT Strands Opening LettersHere are the first two letters of all the words if you don’t want the entire thing just yet.WECOPOSMMAJOTAWhat Are Today’s Strands Answers?Now we begin the answer portion of the program which is the spangram and the full list of the other answers, the spangram is:ARTISANSHere it is on the page, and read on:StrandsNYTThe answers are:WEAVERCOOPERPOTTERSMITHMASONJOINERTANNERStrandsNYTI’m not entirely sure if this was meant to simply be trade names, or trade names that are now common last names. I think Joiner throws a wrench in the works there a bit, but this also did make me wonder what trade a Cooper is. As it turns out, it’s “a traditional craftsman who makes and repairs wooden barrels, casks, tubs, and vats.” Who knew?Follow me on Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.