Today’s theme points to wine and grape-based varietals
The spangram reveals how all answers connect
A mix of red and white wines completes the grid
The New York Times’ Strands puzzle tests more than your ability to spot words. Each grid hides a central idea, and every correct answer feeds into that theme. Players need to find every word that matches the game's theme while they work to discover the spangram, a vital term that reveals the true nature of the puzzle to them.
The theme plays on the phrase ‘Great Expectations’ and uses ‘grape’ as a clue. The clue leads to wine and wine culture, creating a puzzle that revolves around common grape varieties used in winemaking.
In Strands, the spangram is the anchor of the puzzle. It runs from one edge of the grid to another and captures the theme in a single phrase. Solving it often unlocks the rest of the grid.
Today’s spangram: BY THE BOTTLE
The phrase indicates a product people usually purchase that comes in bottle containers. The term currently used describes wine as the beverage produced by processing grapes.
All current answers lead to well-known wine varietals that exist in the present time.
SHIRAZ – A full-bodied red wine known for spicy notes and dark fruit flavours.
MERLOT – A smooth, approachable red wine that’s widely consumed across the world.
MALBEC – A deep, bold red wine, most famously associated with Argentina.
ZINFANDEL – A versatile grape used in robust red wines as well as sweeter rosé styles.
CHARDONNAY – The most-used white wine grape falls into two taste categories, ranging from crisp to rich flavors.
People can solve the NYT Strands puzzle because the wine reference helps them understand the solution. The spangram BY THE BOTTLE perfectly defines the theme, while the combination of red and white wines maintains visual harmony throughout the puzzle. The primary difficulty of Strands puzzles lies in identifying the main concept, because all remaining words will be organized after that point.