A spangram is a special theme word that spans from one side of the grid to the other. It usually reveals the theme most clearly.

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🧵 NYT Strands Solver

Find theme words and solve today's Strands puzzle

What is NYT Strands?

NYT Strands is a daily word search puzzle from The New York Times launched in 2024. Unlike traditional word searches, Strands challenges you to find words that all relate to a daily theme, plus one special "spangram" that spans the entire grid.

Each puzzle features:

6x8 Letter Grid — 48 letters arranged in a grid
Theme Words — Usually 6-8 words related to the daily theme
Spangram — One special word that touches both sides of the grid
Hint System — Find non-theme words to earn hints

Our Strands Solver helps you brainstorm theme-related words and identify potential answers based on the daily hint.

How to Play NYT Strands

Read the theme hint — The clue at the top hints at what all words have in common
Find theme words — Connect adjacent letters (including diagonals) to spell words
Find the spangram — One word spans from one side of the grid to the other
Use hints wisely — Finding non-theme words (3+ letters) earns hint points
Fill the grid — Every letter belongs to exactly one theme word or the spangram

Strands Strategy Guide

💡 Decode the Theme

Theme hints are often puns or wordplay. "On the house" might mean FREE things or ROOF parts.

🔍 Find the Spangram First

The spangram often reveals the theme clearly. Look for longer words that cross the entire grid.

⭐ Earn Hints Strategically

Every 3 non-theme words you find gives you a hint. Save hints for when you're truly stuck.

🧩 Use Letter Patterns

Once you find some theme words, remaining letters narrow down possibilities significantly.

Common Strands Theme Types

Wordplay/Puns "Breaking news" = words with BREAK (breakfast, breakup)

Categories Types of dogs, pizza toppings, Olympic sports

Compound Words Words that can follow "FIRE" or precede "BALL"

Pop Culture Movie titles, song names, celebrity names

Idioms/Phrases "Feeling blue" = words related to sadness or the color

Hidden Words Words containing a hidden word (CARPET has PET)

Frequently Asked Questions

What time does Strands reset?

NYT Strands resets at midnight Eastern Time (ET), just like other NYT games.

What is a spangram?

A spangram is a special theme word that spans from one side of the grid to the other (left-to-right or top-to-bottom). It usually reveals the theme most clearly.

How do hints work in Strands?

Finding non-theme words (3+ letters) earns hint points. Every 3 non-theme words gives you one hint that reveals letters of a theme word.

Can letters be reused?

No, each letter in the grid belongs to exactly one word. Once a letter is used in a theme word, it can't be part of another word.