Looking for a different day?A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Thursday, August 13 (game #893).Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.NYT Strands today (game #894) - hint #1 - today's themeWhat is the theme of today's NYT Strands?• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Discovered by accidentNYT Strands today (game #894) - hint #2 - clue wordsPlay any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.VOICESINKCRAVENLINECOILNICENYT Strands today (game #894) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?• Spangram has 10 lettersNYT Strands today (game #894) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?• First side: top, 3rd column• Last side: bottom, 4th columnRight, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.NYT Strands today (game #894) - the answers(Image credit: New York Times)The answers to today's Strands, game #894, are…SLINKYVELCROPLASTICMICROWAVEPENICILLINSPANGRAM: INVENTIONSMy rating: HardMy score: 2 hintsThere were so many Vs in today’s game that I convinced myself that the word “vinyl” was in the grid somewhere and that the theme was all about crate digging and finding some secret album.I could not have been more wrong. Something I only learned after two hints gave me SLINKY and VELCRO and I realized I had wasted five minutes daydreaming about record shops.It was not until I got the spangram — and eliminated the last of the Vs — that I finally realized what the search was about and how one of the greatest medical discoveries of history was connected to a spring that goes downstairs.Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Thursday, August 13, game #893)FIERCEHEATEDTORRIDINTENSEZEALOUSSPANGRAM: FIREBRANDWhat is NYT Strands?Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.