New York Times ‘Strands’ Puzzle Engages Word Game Lovers

The New York Times has introduced ‘Strands‘, a new word puzzle game that has gained popularity among word game enthusiasts. This game, which functions as a modern twist on the classic word search, is part of NYT‘s Games app alongside other popular games like Wordle and Connections.

In ‘Strands’, players are presented with a six-by-eight grid of letters. The objective is to locate a group of words that share a common theme. Hints are provided to help identify the theme, and when a word is correctly identified, it is highlighted in blue.

The game also includes a unique feature called a «spangram». The spangram is a special word that indicates the commonality among the theme words. It stands out on the grid in yellow and links at least two sides of the board.

Each alphabet in the grid is used once in forming the theme words and the spangram, compelling players to connect letters vertically, horizontally, or diagonally. A double tap on a touchscreen completes the selection of a word.

Additionally, players can unlock a hint button by identifying three valid words of a minimum of four letters that are not among the theme. This feature highlights letters that form a theme word and is designed to assist participants in progressing through the game.

The difficulty of the puzzles in ‘Strands’ varies daily, ensuring that players remain challenged. This daily variation has contributed to its appeal, as participants never know what to expect, from filling missing words in phrases to dealing with synonyms or homophones.

Kris Holt, a writer covering video games, noted, «Today’s theme words included RIVERSIDE and MOBILE, with CITY NAME serving as the spangram. By using all the hints, I managed to solve the puzzle swiftly.»

As ‘Strands’ continues to entertain word game lovers, it has carved a niche by offering a distinct challenge different from other NYT games.