The puzzle highlights famous paintings by splitting well-known artwork titles into separate word pairs.
The spangram clearly defines the theme, making artistic connections easier to recognize.
Recognizing paired words is essential for solving art-based NYT Strands puzzles efficiently.
The NYT Strands puzzle for Saturday, January 24, presents a visually appealing theme that serves as a tribute to artistic expression. Today's challenge requires participants to solve word puzzles by using their understanding of famous artworks from different cultures. The puzzle presents itself as easy to solve, yet demands that players pay attention to details and understand the main theme.
Today’s NYT Strands theme for today’s puzzle is “A Work of Art.” All theme words relate to famous paintings that are widely recognized across art history. The puzzle presents a main twist because each artwork exists as two distinct words instead of being shown as one complete expression. The grid can be solved successfully through understanding this structural detail while preventing users from making common errors.
Below are structured hints to guide the solve, including starting letters and word lengths. Each pair of words belongs to the same famous painting:
ST (6 letters): A celestial scene filled with swirling skies
NI (5 letters): Completes the famous night-time masterpiece
WA (5 letters): A calm, natural element often painted in series
LI (6 letters): Flowers floating on water in impressionist art
BO (7 letters): A lively outdoor social gathering
PA (5 letters): Finishes a well-known celebratory scene
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Here are all the non-spangram answers featured in the January 24 puzzle:
STARRY
NIGHT
WATER
LILIES
BOATING
PARTY
When paired correctly, these words form the titles of famous paintings.
The spangram for today’s puzzle is FAMOUS PAINTING. This phrase spans the grid and clearly defines the shared category connecting all theme words. Once identified, the spangram makes it easier to think in terms of iconic artwork titles rather than individual descriptive terms.
Pay close attention to whether theme entries are split or combined.
Think in pairs when the theme suggests multi-word concepts.
Identifying the spangram early helps frame the puzzle’s direction.
Cultural references often play a major role in themed NYT Strands puzzles.
Also Read: NYT Connections Hints and Answers for January 23, 2026 (Puzzle #957)
The January 24 NYT Strands puzzle stands out for its elegant theme and accessible challenge level. The artwork combines artistic elements from historical art periods with wordplay to create a puzzle that tests logical thinking and cultural memory. Daily puzzles like this strengthen vocabulary, pattern recognition, and thematic reasoning, making Strands a consistently engaging addition to any word puzzle routine.