Having trouble with today's NYT Strand puzzle? Today's puzzle theme, "Not just for poking" is a bit challenging, and even if you know what it means, some of the solutions can be hard to find.

Below we have compiled some helpful hints and answers for Strands #160. We will start with the hints and then lead you to the complete solution for Strands #160.

WARNING: There are spoilers for Strands #160.

The official theme of NYT Strands #160 is... "It's Not Just for Poking."

And here's an unofficial hint from me: "These, along with the stones, may break your bones.

If you're still in the dark, here's a handy word that gives you a valuable hint token:

Still struggling? Spangram gives you a hint on conjunctive words. Today, it begins and ends with "S."

Scroll down to see what it is.

STICKS.

So what is the answer to today's strand of game #160?

Drum roll please.

... Spangram was STICKS.

Strands #160

"Not just for poking"

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Hello Strands fans! Today's puzzle is at first vague and frustrating. What on earth does "not just for poking" mean?

The first correct answer, CONTROL, was spelled out along the bottom, so I didn't get close to that answer, but when combined with the second correct answer, MEMORY, I realized that these are both a type of stick.

Sure enough, I found the word STICKS spelled diagonally from left to right.

I was curious about the double 'Z' on the right, which turns out to be part of SWIZZLE. The CINNAMON in the upper left rounded off the top of the grid nicely.

Two answers were still in the area below, with HOCKEY just above CONTROL and LICORICE remaining.

Are you reading this late in the day? The full text of Strand's answer to yesterday's game #159 can be found here.