As word game enthusiasts search for fresher challenges beyond the now-ubiquitous Wordle and Connections, The New York Times' latest offering, Strands, continues to garner attention for its layered complexity and evolving themes. If you’re seeking help with NYT Strands May 15, including today's theme, clues, and the elusive Spangram, here’s your comprehensive guide.The May 15 edition of Strands centres around a clever theme titled “Animal Drives”, requiring players to draw on knowledge that crosses linguistic boundaries and touches pop culture, automobiles, and zoology alike. For many solvers, it was a grid that tested both word recognition and thematic interpretation.What is NYT Strands?Strands is a recent addition to the growing puzzle suite by The New York Times. The gameplay unfolds on a 6x8 letter grid. The goal: identify words that align with a given daily theme. Among these words lies a special term known as the Spangram, a longer word or phrase that spans from one side of the grid to another — horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.Unlocking the Spangram typically clarifies the day’s theme, offering significant assistance in spotting the remaining words. Though casual in tone, the puzzle demands a sharp eye and a thematic sense of wordplay.Theme for NYT Strands May 15: “Animal Drives”Thursday's puzzle carried the headline “Animal Drives”, a theme open to interpretation but ultimately focused on vehicle names derived from animals, as per a report by Beebom.The connection between fauna and four-wheelers might not be obvious at first glance, but it quickly becomes apparent once a few names are spotted.For those still puzzling over the clues, here are some helpful nudges:Hint #1: A large African antelope — ImpalaHint #2: A spirited wild horse from the western United States — MustangThese clues tap into popular car models, suggesting that the theme encompasses vehicles named after animals.Spangram for May 15: A Vital ClueThe Spangram — which often serves as the key to unlocking the rest of the puzzle — was placed horizontally today and began with “AU.” The full answer: Automobiles. As soon as players spotted fragments like AUTO or MOBILE within the grid, the rest of the theme began to fall into place.Complete Answers for NYT Strands May 15Here are the confirmed theme words found in today’s puzzle:BEETLEMUSTANGIMPALAJAGUARBRONCORABBITEach of these corresponds to a widely recognized car model, reinforcing the theme and providing cohesion across the grid.How the Spangram Unlocks the PuzzleWithin the NYT Strands framework, the Spangram acts as a linchpin. Once identified, it often helps illuminate the day’s theme. Though it may appear anywhere on the grid and doesn’t always start at the edge, solving it often provides solvers with momentum to complete the remaining categories.FAQsWhat is the Spangram in Strands?A Spangram serves as the crucial link in solving each strand puzzle — a distinct word or phrase that ties together all the other words on the board, revealing the puzzle’s core theme.How do hints work in NYT strands?For every three non-theme words you discover, you unlock a hint. Each hint reveals the letters of a theme word. If a hint is already active on the board, the next one will display the correct letter order for that word.