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On a Tuesday that could otherwise have been spent with interminable emails and lists of things to do, The New York Times’ Strands puzzle provided an escape route, laid out with starships, far-off planets, and the sort of imagination that only science fiction can provide. This week’s theme, “Out of This World,” was an apt invitation to venture into the most imaginative edge of cinema.
Strands, the latest to join the lineup at NYT Games, continues to enthrall word game players with its smart mix of old-fashioned word search gameplay and new concept theming. Daily, contestants play through a 6x8 grid filled with embedded words based around a particular theme. The highlight is the spangram, a phrase or word that runs across the board and defines the day’s general theme.
“Out of This World” was a fond tribute to the science fiction genre, with solutions based on some of the most popular and intellectually stimulating movies of the past decades. The spangram for today, SCIENCEFICTION, spanned the grid, supporting a puzzle that honored the movie imagination.
Strands rewards discovery with hints: find any three four-letter or more words, and one of the theme words is revealed. It’s a bright idea that helps without revealing too much.
Some words that I have used to discover the hint words for today are the following:
GONE, FRAT, GEMS, NOIR, TART, NUDE, PONE, GOAL, LOPS, SLOP, VINO, TARRY, MIEN
Valuable hints or words would suffice; these words are merely some examples to take me a step further.
Today’s grid had a nice mix of genre-defining blockbusters and lesser surprises:
SCIENCEFICTION (Spangram)
ARRIVAL: A lyrical study of language, time, and first contact.
GRAVITY: A survival thriller in the high-stakes setting of space.
MEGALOPOLIS: A dramatic and mysterious title referencing Francis Ford Coppola’s ambitious new project.
ALIEN: Ridley Scott’s masterful chill of suspense and survival.
DUNE: The sweeping, sand-covered chronicle of fate and desert power.
With this week’s sci-fi theme, Strands taught us that a humble grid can also serve as a gateway to new worlds. Whether visiting old classics or finding new ones to place on your list of things to watch, the puzzle gave more than just a word puzzle challenge, it gave a cinematic experience in bite-sized form.
Strands remains a sneaky getaway for the inquiring mind, making word games a daily routine of imagination and exploration. If yesterday’s puzzle sent us to the stars, one wonders where tomorrow’s will take us?
