What is Strands?
Strands is a daily word puzzle from New York Times Games, launched in 2024. It looks like a word search, but each puzzle has a hidden theme and every letter on the board belongs to one of the answers.
You trace words by connecting adjacent letters in any direction. The theme words fill the board along with the spangram, a special word or phrase that describes the theme and stretches from one side of the board to the other. If you get stuck, finding other valid words earns you hints.
Main Features
- New puzzle every day
- Hidden theme with a one-line clue
- Spangram that spans the board
- Hints earned by finding non-theme words
- Every letter is used exactly once
- Shareable results
How to Get Started with Strands
- Open nytimes.com/games/strands.
- Read the theme clue at the top.
- Drag across adjacent letters to spell words, or tap each letter.
- Find all the theme words and the spangram, then share your result.
Strands Pricing
Strands is free to play in the browser and the NYT Games app. An optional New York Times Games subscription unlocks the rest of the paid games collection.
Who Should Use It?
- Wordle and Connections players looking for another daily puzzle
- Word search fans who want more challenge
- People who enjoy finding themes and patterns
- Anyone wanting a short daily brain break
Strands Alternatives
- Framed: guess the film from frames
- Semantris: word association game
- Wikitrivia: put events in order
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Strands free?
Yes. Strands is free to play each day. A New York Times Games subscription is optional and covers other games in the collection.
What is the spangram in Strands?
The spangram is a word or phrase that describes the puzzle's theme and touches two opposite sides of the board.
How do hints work in Strands?
Finding valid words that are not theme words fills a meter, and once it is full you can use a hint to reveal a theme word's letters.