New NYT Strands Puzzle Features Tomato Themed Challenge

NEW YORK, NY — The New York Times introduced a fresh puzzle called Strands on June 2, 2025, challenging players with a word search twist. Each daily game features a six by eight grid of letters with a common theme that players must identify.

The goal of the Strands puzzle is to discover words related to a specific theme based on a given clue. When a player successfully identifies a theme word, it is highlighted in blue. Additionally, a special word known as a ‘spangram’ connects opposite sides of the board and remains highlighted in yellow.

‘Some themes are fill-in-the-blank phrases, steps in a process, or items from the same category,’ explained Strands editor Tracy Bennett. Bennett plans to keep the game engaging by varying its difficulty, similar to their popular Wordle puzzles.

For players looking to test their knowledge, the theme for today’s puzzle is ‘On the vine.’ The spangram for the day is revealed to be ‘TOMATO,’ linking the theme and associated words.

Participants reported a mix of familiarity and surprise with the answers. Words like ‘CHERRY,’ ‘PLUM,’ and ‘HEIRLOOM’ are among the safe choices, while ‘BEEFSTEAK’ and ‘LUNCHBOX’ tomatoes caught several players off guard. One player noted, ‘I only knew about three of these offhand.’

With a new Strands puzzle available every day, enthusiasts are encouraged to engage with the game daily. For those uncertain about the answers, helpful hints and solutions are shared regularly in forums.