If you’re still engaged in a daily Wordle challenge and are now captivated by Connections, we have some exciting news for you.
The New York Times (NYT) has added a new puzzle to its collection – Strands.
And although it is essentially a word search – as described by the Atlantic as ‘perhaps the lowest form of puzzle’ – don’t assume it will be simple. (Be careful, a picture below contains a clue for today’s puzzle.)
No, this is a New York Times game, so you will probably be puzzled initially, then somewhat frustrated, and finally overjoyed when (or if) you solve it.
And as expected, this is no typical word search. To start, every letter in the 6×8 grid must be utilized.
Furthermore, you are allowed to change direction while finding words, meaning the letters won’t all be in a straight line.
However, they will all be related to a central theme, the answer to which is also a word on the grid that stretches from one side to the other, known as a spangram.
(Remember, a hint is coming up.)
Additionally, you can receive a hint by discovering three words in the grid that are not related to the theme.
But be cautious. With numerous words to be formed when you can move in all directions, identifying the right ones – those related to the daily theme – can be incredibly challenging.
And once you have found three non-theme words to reveal the hint, there is no advantage to finding unrelated words in the grid – they will not earn you extra points.
If you love solving puzzles and want to exercise your brain a bit more each day, it is the perfect addition to your gaming routine.
Nevertheless, Strands is still in beta, so you will not find it on the NYT’s news or puzzle apps, only on your browser. However, if it passes the paper’s strict popularity test, it will become a fully-fledged NYT game alongside Wordle, Connections, the Mini, Letter Boxed and more.
How to play Strands, according to the NYT
- The goal is to find theme words that all share a common characteristic, and a spangram that explains what they have in common
- The spangram must reach two opposite sides of the game board
- Today’s Theme is a clue on the board that is meant to guide gameplay
- Locating three words that are not part of the theme will unlock the “Hint” button and highlight the letters that make up a theme word
- Players can connect letters vertically, horizontally, and diagonally, and can change directions in the middle of a word
- Theme words perfectly fit the grid, with no letter used more than once
