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The New York Times Strands puzzle for February 12 brings a melodic twist to word-solving, immersing players in the lyrics of one of rock’s most iconic anthems. With a theme inspired by a legendary song, today’s puzzle invites solvers to uncover hidden words that form the backbone of a timeless classic. This edition challenges players to piece together elements of a beloved track while deciphering the overarching spangram that ties it all together.
Today’s puzzle theme takes inspiration from a song that has stood the test of time, transcending generations with its message of perseverance and dreams. Recognized globally, this track tells the story of two individuals chasing something greater beyond their small-town origins. Its lyrics paint a picture of hope, movement, and the pursuit of something extraordinary.
Solvers who are familiar with this rock anthem may find themselves humming along as they uncover words from its famous lines. The puzzle not only tests word-finding skills but also invites players to relive the magic of a song that continues to resonate decades after its release.
Hint: These words are lyrics of a popular song.
Explanation: These are the words that are parts of the most popular Journey song.
Every Strand's puzzle includes a spangram—a keyword that encapsulates the overall theme and runs continuously across the board. Today’s spangram perfectly captures the essence of the puzzle’s inspiration, linking all the lyrical elements together in a single, defining word. It serves as the gateway to solving the puzzle, bringing clarity to the scattered words hidden within the grid.
February 12 NYT Strands Spangram direction: Horizontal.
Feb 12 Spangram Answer: Journey.
The words of the puzzle are derived from the most memorable lines of the song, melody through its telling. Every word contributes its share to creating the story and provides the solvers with a nostalgic yet engrossing conundrum. While these words may not seem to go together, with time they make sense and give rise to an alive picture of movement, longing and dreams. The word list includes:
A word that captures the emotional depth of the song’s characters.
Representing the song’s famous line about a small-town girl.
A nod to the small-town origins of the song’s protagonists.
Further emphasizing the setting and the journey beyond it.
A reference to the song’s universal themes of exploration and ambition.
Evoking movement and decision-making, central themes in the song.
A key reference to the famous "midnight train going anywhere."
Each of these words contributes greatly to the picture Don’t Stop Believin’ paints so perfectly. By including them in today’s Strands puzzle, the solving experience is both entertaining and sentimental.
Through painstaking grid searching players will understand how the song’s setting is hinted by certain terms, who the song is about and the emotional journey it describes. Once one finds these words, they are found to be lyrical stepping stones towards the solution of the puzzle.
Today’s NYT Strands puzzle song is one of the most celebrated tracks in rock history, and the song featured in it. It has been the anthem of perseverance and hope since it was first released in the early 1980s and thereafter revived in pop culture through film, television and live performances.
Lonely
Girl
Small
Town
World
Took
Midnight
Train
Journey
The NYT Strands February 12 puzzle is not just a word-finding puzzle; it’s a journey through a song that is as timeless as it is legendary. Today’s puzzle is inviting words to enter the rock classic in a sprinkling of spangrams that give just enough information for words to sink in.
Players connect the dots and discover the theme as they journey through one of music’s great anthems. This puzzle plays up the spirit of its lyrics, as if we were all just longtime fans of the song and whether we’re playing for fun or not, one word at a time it lives on.
