Strands Puzzle Baffles: Westminster Assembly Theme Throws Players for a Loop

NEW YORK – The New York Times‘ Strands puzzle presented players with a head-scratching challenge Saturday, as the theme “Westminster assembly” left many stumped. The puzzle, a word-search variant, requires players to identify a set of words sharing a common theme, guided by a spangram that connects at least two sides of the game board. Saturday’s puzzle centered around dog breeds, a detail that tripped up many participants unfamiliar with the Westminster Kennel Club.

The spangram, DOG GROUP, served as the key to unlocking the puzzle’s theme. The theme words included HOUNDS, TERRIER, SPORTING, TOYS, HERDING and WORKING, all categories of dog breeds recognized by kennel clubs. However, the seemingly straightforward theme proved challenging, particularly for those outside of the dog show world or those more familiar with the British Parliament, also associated with Westminster.

Kris Holt, a Forbes contributor who covers video games and word games, admitted to struggling with the puzzle. “I do not know dog groups very well. Or at least I had trouble spotting any on the grid,” Holt wrote. He revealed using hints for most of the theme words, highlighting the puzzle’s difficulty.

Alan Martin, another tech and gaming contributor, noted that the Westminster theme was especially tricky for those on the “British side of the Atlantic,” where “Westminster is associated with the Houses of Parliament and the UK government.” Martin added that it took him “an embarrassingly long time to figure out the connection” to dog breeds, despite finding some of the theme words early on.

The Strands puzzle, available on the NYT Games website and app, has quickly gained popularity as a daily word game. Players connect letters vertically, horizontally, and diagonally to find theme words and the spangram. The game provides a hint system that unlocks after finding three valid words that are not part of the theme.

Despite the initial confusion, many players found the puzzle enjoyable once they grasped the dog breed theme. The game’s varying difficulty and surprising themes continue to attract a dedicated following, adding another dimension to the NYT’s word game offerings alongside Wordle and Connections.