Welcome to Strands, a fresh daily puzzle challenge by the New York Times. Put your word search skills to the test with this new twist on a classic game.
Similar to popular puzzles like Wordle, Connections, and the Mini Crossword, Strands may present some challenging moments. It’s okay to seek some assistance when needed. If you find yourself stuck, feel free to refer to the solved puzzle below for today’s answers.
How to play Strands
To begin a Strands puzzle, your objective is to uncover the “theme words” hidden within the grid of letters. Use your sharp eye to manipulate the letters by dragging or tapping to form words, then double-tap the final letter to confirm your selection. Correctly guessed words will be highlighted in blue and no longer selectable.
Even if a word is not a theme word, finding non-theme words still provides valuable aid. For every three non-theme words of at least four letters that you discover, a hint will be given – revealing the letters of one of the theme words for you to unscramble.
Every letter in the grid is utilized to spell out the theme words without any overlapping. Each letter is used exactly once and not repeated.
Each puzzle includes a “spangram,” a unique theme word or words that describe the puzzle’s theme and touch opposite sides of the board. Upon finding the spangram, it will be highlighted in yellow.
Strive to complete the puzzle swiftly with minimal hints for a satisfying challenge!
Today’s Strand answers
Let’s kick things off by providing you with the spangram to help you deduce the theme and tackle the rest of the puzzle on your own:
If you still require assistance, here are the remaining theme words in the puzzle:
- MOISTURIZE
- CONDITION
- LATHER
- RINSE
- TOWEL
- APPLY
