Tue Oct 07 10:20:00 UTC 2025: ## NYT Strands Puzzle for Oct. 7 Features “Unusual Companions”; Hints and Answers Inside

**[City, State] -** Stuck on today’s New York Times Strands puzzle? For the Oct. 7 puzzle (No. 583), the theme is “Unusual companions,” tasking players with finding words related to exotic pets.

The puzzle challenges players to uncover hidden words that fit the theme. Finding any three words of four or more letters unlocks a helpful hint, revealing one of the themed words. The ultimate goal is to find all the themed words, including the “spangram,” which stretches across the grid.

Today’s spangram is EXOTICPET.

The article also highlights some of the trickiest past Strands puzzles, including themes like “Dated Slang,” “Thar She Blows!” and “Off the Hook,” noting the difficulty often stemmed from specialized vocabulary.

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