Strands is the newest daily word puzzle from The New York Times, and it’s no ordinary word search! If you’re up for a challenge, this one’s for you. Strands puts a fresh twist on the classic word search, requiring sharp focus and a keen eye to spot the right words.
How to Play NYT Strands
In every Strands puzzle, your mission is to uncover hidden “theme words” within a grid of jumbled letters. You can move the letters by tapping or dragging to form words, and when you think you’ve got a word, double-tap the last letter to lock it in. If it’s a correct theme word, the letters will turn blue and disappear from the grid.
Here’s the cool part: even if you find words that aren’t part of the main theme, they’re still useful! For every three “bonus” words you discover that are at least four letters long, you’ll earn a hint. This hint will reveal some letters from one of the theme words, and from there, you’ll just need to unscramble it.
The puzzle doesn’t waste any letters—each one will be used to spell out a theme word, and no letter is used more than once.
There’s also a special word called a spangram in every puzzle. The spangram is the key word related to the puzzle’s theme, and it’s special because it touches two opposite sides of the board. When you find it, it’ll turn yellow, letting you know you’ve uncovered the puzzle’s main clue.
The ultimate goal? Complete the puzzle as fast as you can while using as few hints as possible!
Need a Hint for Today’s Strands Puzzle?
Today’s theme is all about knowing your materials. Here’s a helpful nudge: think about what you’re wearing!
Today’s NYT Strands Puzzle Answers
If you’re still stuck, don’t worry—we’ve got the answers right here to help you out.
- Today’s spangram: FABRICS
- Theme words: MUSLIN, DENIM, SATIN, JERSEY, VELVET, CHIFFON, SPANDEX
Each of these words represents a type of fabric, tying into today’s puzzle theme. If you couldn’t crack it, no worries! There’s always a new challenge waiting tomorrow.