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 #803) - hint #1 - today's theme

NYT Strands today (game #803) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

• SERVE
• MEMO
• TRIP
• TURN
• PROD
• RICE

NYT Strands today (game #803) - hint #3 - spangram letters

NYT Strands today (game #803) - hint #4 - spangram position

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #803) - the answers

The answers to today's Strands, game #803, are…

• SERVICE
• SACRIFICE
• HONOR
• VIRTUE
• PROTECTION
• SPANGRAM: MEMORIALDAY

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 1 hint

No surprise about today's theme, given the date, but I did need a hint to get me started — and even finding non-game words proved tricky. I found myself fixated on the word "office," which I was convinced was on the board but had entirely hallucinated.

Today's words define the core principles of MEMORIALDAY and represent the oath and actions of US military personnel who died while serving their country. It's a rare Strands theme that genuinely gives you pause.

Among the game words, PROTECTION was the only one that caused me real difficulty. The others felt almost self-selecting once the theme was clear, but PROTECTION took a while longer to materialize on the board.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Sunday, May 24, game #812)

• COIL
• SPINDLE
• REEL
• SPOOL
• BOBBIN
• WINCH
• SCROLL
• SPANGRAM: TRYTOUNWIND

Johnny is a freelance pop culture journalist who has been writing about the internet, music, football and famous people since the iPhone was just a twinkle in Steve Jobs' eye. Previously known by the pseudonym the Pop Detective, his journalistic career began making up stories about Madonna's addiction to sausage rolls (this is not true by the way). A man of few talents, his career is rich and various and includes the highs of interviewing Elton John and Blur; and the lows of interviewing Right Said Fred, appearing on a Channel 5 documentary about Peter Kay, and fact-checking the instruction manual for a German cooker. Somehow still affording to live in North London he is at his happiest riding his bicycle and shouting at pigeons.