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NYT Strands spotlights triumph and perseverance with a champion-themed puzzle
The spangram FINISH STRONG captures the spirit of resilience and winning
Theme words include TITLEHOLDER, VICTOR, CHAMP, MEDALIST, and WINNER, representing different faces of success
It’s Wednesday morning, the halfway point when energy may flag and the weekend feels still far off. What better way to charge up your concentration than with today’s New York Times Strands puzzle? Today’s puzzle is all about greatness, highlighting those who break through the barriers and rise as champions.
As you check the grid out, every word discovered delivers a small shock of triumph, a midweek medal for your mind.
This puzzle is a tribute to champions, the tough, the daring, the ones who step up to the challenge and leave an indelible mark. From medal-winning athletes to behind-the-scenes achievers, today’s topic celebrates the essence of success and perseverance it demands to reach the pinnacle. It’s a tribute to toughness and grace under stress.
Strands puzzles adhere to the classic: a 6x8 grid of letters filled with themed words in wait. The essence of the puzzle is in its spangram, an outstanding phrase that connects at least two ends of the board and exactly embodies the theme. Theme words will never be proper nouns, but the spangram could be.
Begin by hunting for any word with four or more letters, even unrelated ones. After finding three, the Hint button gets activated, and it highlights a theme word. Soon, you begin to notice a pattern through the consistent pulse of victories balanced against the ranks of elite from the lettered chaos. Each word starts painting the bigger picture of being a top contender.
Seaming through the board is the slogan FINISH STRONG, a compelling reminder that greatness isn’t so much about sprinting out of the gate, but about enduring strength to the finish. It brings the whole puzzle together, encapsulating the spirit of competitive grit and finishing flourish.
Today’s puzzle includes six highlighted words, each representing a different facet of success:
TITLEHOLDER – The champion, holder of the crown
VICTOR – The victorious rival
CHAMP – A casual reference to the greatest of the game
MEDALIST – The one who gets their spot on the podium
WINNER – The name that resonates when the race is done
FINISH STRONG – The golden mentality that seals the circle
Today’s Strands is not merely a puzzle; it’s an encouraging word in a grid shape. With FINISH STRONG in the middle, every word in this lineup is a reminder of the strength in staying the course and the honor of running well to the end. A great midweek pick-me-up to refocus your attention and remind you: champions don’t just get made, they are unfolded, one solid finish at a time.
