Introducing Strands, a new daily puzzle challenge from the renowned New York Times. A more complex version of the traditional word search, this puzzle will put your eyes and mind to the test.
Similar to popular puzzles like Wordle, Connections, and the Mini Crossword, Strands can be quite challenging on certain days. If you find yourself stuck and in need of assistance with today’s Strands puzzle, take a look at the solved puzzle below.
How to Play Strands
In Strands, your objective is to uncover the hidden “theme words” within the grid of letters. Move letters around by dragging or tapping to form words, then double-tap the last letter to confirm. When you discover a correct word, it will be highlighted in blue and become unselectable.
Even if you stumble upon non-theme words, they can still be beneficial. For every three non-theme words that are at least four letters long, you will receive a hint—a revelation of the letters for one of the theme words that you must unscramble.
Every letter in the grid is essential to spell out the theme words without any overlap. Each letter will be utilized precisely once.
Each puzzle features a unique “spangram,” a special theme word (or words) describing the puzzle’s theme that connects two opposing sides of the board. Identified spangrams will be highlighted in yellow.
The objective is to solve the puzzle swiftly and accurately while minimizing the use of hints.
Today’s Strand Answers
Begin by revealing the spangram, as it may aid in deciphering the theme and solving the remainder of the puzzle autonomously:
If you still require solutions, here are the remaining theme words in the puzzle:
- OGRE
- CYCLOPS
- MERMAID
- DRAGON
- CENTAUR
- FAIRY
This is the final look of the completed puzzle:
