Tired of Wordle? Want to crack a new puzzle game?
The New York Times has come up with something interesting, Strands, a new word puzzle game that will challenge one’s vocabulary and creativity. Unlike Wordle, Strands asks one to find six to eight words in a jumbled letter grid, all connected under a single theme. Even though the game's interface is casual, it seriously exercises one’s brain.
Strands is available on the official website of the New York Times Games section. Tracy Bennett, who curates the legendary Wordle puzzle, oversees Strands. A new puzzle is released every day, similarly to other NYT games such as Connections and Wordle.
The puzzle is a 6x8 grid consisting of 54 letters. A player’s objective is to find six to eight words hidden in the grid by selecting a chain of letters that form a word. The words are not random, and they are connected by a theme, which is displayed in the ‘Today's Theme’ box on the left side of the screen.
The catch? After finding all the words, a hidden theme called ‘Spangram’ is revealed. The term Spangram comes from the concept of ‘span’ and ‘anagram,’ where the final word spans the entire grid and ties all the words together.
Today's theme: Are You Listening?
For December 22, 2024, the theme is all about sounds that evoke the winter season.
Here are the words hidden in the grid for today's Strands puzzle:
SLEIGH
BELLS
WALKING
SNOW
GLISTENING
Once a player correctly guesses the six words, the Spangram, which ties all the clues together, is revealed: WINTER WONDERLAND.
A daily theme and hidden Spangram make Strands a fun and challenging addition to the NYT Games section. Whether a word puzzle pro or a casual player, Strands offers a refreshing and stimulating experience.
Come back tomorrow for more Strands tips, hints, and answers.