NYT Strands Hints

Every day brings a fresh Strands puzzle to solve. You're faced with a 6x8 grid of letters, with the objective to uncover a series of words linked by a common theme, hinted at within the game. Discovering a word related to this theme will cause it to be highlighted in blue.

Your task also includes identifying a specific word known as a spangram, which reveals the shared theme of the words. This spangram bridges two opposite ends of the board. Unlike the theme words, the spangram might be a proper name, and upon finding it, it will be highlighted in yellow.

Each letter in the grid is part of either the theme words or the spangram, used exactly once. You have the flexibility to connect letters in all directions—vertically, horizontally, and diagonally—and may change direction mid-word. On touchscreens, a double tap on the last letter confirms your selection.

Upon successfully finding three valid, non-theme words of four letters or more, the Hint button becomes available. Using this button illuminates the letters forming one of the theme words, offering assistance in your puzzle-solving journey.

Strands, a daily word puzzle from the New York Times Games, is making waves in its beta phase with its growing popularity. It's designed to be quickly learned yet poses a considerable challenge, especially when the category isn't immediately clear. Mastering this puzzle daily might require extra assistance beyond the game's hints, and this guide offers all the help you need to claim victory.

Optimized for mobile users, the game provides a succinct theme hint, such as "Sounds Good to Me," challenging players to discover six words and one Spangram, summing up to seven words. For those seeking hints for the overarching category, begin with the top section below and progress downward; the clues become increasingly detailed to aid your word search.