NYT Strands Puzzle Highlights Songbirds as Key Theme

NEW YORK, NY — The New York Times Strands word search game has captivated players with its unique twist on traditional puzzles. On May 2, 2025, the theme for today’s puzzle is ‘What a trill!’, focusing on the avian world.

In Strands, players can find words connected in the grid, moving up, down, left, right, or diagonally. This game requires players to use all letters in the grid while linking them around a daily theme. The spangram for today, a thematic word that spans the grid, is ‘SONGBIRDS‘.

The Strands puzzle is known for its opacity, presenting challenges without revealing word lists. The innovative design encourages players to think creatively, including directional changes in discovering words. Today’s theme highlights birds known for their melodious sounds.

Gael Cooper, a CNET editor and puzzle enthusiast, provided insights into solving today’s puzzle. “Birdwatchers will find today’s challenge coinciding with their interests while others may need more hints to navigate the grid,” said Cooper.

The ultimate goal for players is to uncover multiple words connected to the theme. As part of the gameplay, finding just three words of four letters or more will reveal one of the hidden theme words.

For those identifying the theme words, they will discover familiar bird names like ‘SPARROW’, ‘CHICKADEE’, ‘WREN’, ‘CARDINAL’, ‘WARBLER’, and more. Players are encouraged to look for variations of words they have already found to unlock even more answers.

In the end, the theme of ‘SONGBIRDS’ connects enthusiasts not just through the challenge, but also through appreciation of nature’s melodic creatures.