January 16 NYT Strands centers on Batman, his allies, villains, and iconic Gotham elements.
The spangram BATMAN connects all theme words, serving as the puzzle’s central anchor.
Recognizing the superhero motif early helps locate related words and solve the grid faster.
The NYT Strands puzzle for the 16th of January, 2023, the Friday puzzle, is full of superheroes, and it also brings Gotham City to life. Comic lore lovers, as well as fans of wordplay, will have fun with the puzzle as they will be hunting through the grid for characters, items, and concepts associated with the Dark Knight. The puzzle of the day is a combination of fun, logic, and pop culture.
Today's NYT Strands theme is "DC Crusader", with the additional clue "The Dark Knight." All the words connected to the theme are somehow related to Batman, among them his friends, enemies, and even the most recognizable signs of the character. It will be a good idea for the puzzler to recognize this superhero motif and also to be a comic fan, as this will make the puzzle less difficult and more fun to solve.
Here are helpful hints for each theme word, including starting letters and approximate lengths:
RO… (5 letters) – Batman’s loyal sidekick
JO… (5 letters) – Gotham’s notorious villain
CA… (4 letters) – Iconic part of Batman’s costume
BA… (6 letters) – The Caped Crusader himself
VE… (8 letters) – A driving motive for heroes and villains
MA… (5 letters) – Batman’s lavish home
PE… (7 letters) – Another classic Gotham villain
JU… (7 letters) – The ultimate ideal Batman defends
Also Read: NYT Wordle Answer Today for January 15, 2025: Hints, Clues & Expert Walkthrough
The non-spangram theme words for today’s puzzle are:
ROBIN
JOKER
CAPE
VENGEANCE
MANOR
PENGUIN
JUSTICE
The spangram for January 16 is BATMAN. By being the central word, it interrelates all theme words and works as a hub that links the heroes, villains, and the iconic aspects of the Dark Knight universe. Discovering it gives a pleasing feeling of accomplishment.
Rely on theme hints to draw attention to corresponding categories or motifs.
First, target longer words since they are more frequently found in the grid.
Do not forget that letters can be connected in all three ways: diagonally, vertically, or horizontally.
Take the theme hints one by one by spotting extra valid words that are not part of the theme in a smart way.
Also Read: NYT Connections January 15, 2026: Today’s Answers, Hints, and Full Puzzle Breakdown
The January 16 NYT Strands puzzle offers a fun mix of pop culture and wordplay. It tests pattern recognition, vocabulary, and logical reasoning, and at the same time pays tribute to one of the comic's most famous figures. Daily puzzles of this sort are fun and also a good workout for the mind through word games.