Strands is a new online word game from The New York Times that is currently in beta testing. Similar to Wordle and Connections, Strands challenges players to find hidden words on a grid of letters based on a specific theme. The game is reminiscent of old-fashioned Word Find books, but with a twist – there is no list of words provided, making it both fun and frustrating for players. The goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme, with hints revealed after finding three words of four letters or more. The grid must be filled with theme words and a special spangram to complete the game.
For players looking for help with the June 16 Strands puzzle, there are clues and answers provided to assist in solving the game. The theme for the puzzle is “It’s in the bag,” with words like MATCHA, CHAI, OOLONG, and CHAMOMILE fitting the theme. Players can also uncover the spangram, a theme word that spans the entire puzzle and summarizes the puzzle theme, which for this puzzle is TEATIME. By following the rules of the game and using the provided clues, players can work their way through the puzzle and complete it by finding all the theme words and the spangram.
To play Strands, players must use the theme of the day to look for words related to that topic on the grid of letters. Once a word is spotted, players can drag or click the letters in order and click the last letter twice to submit their guess. Theme words will light up in blue once found and stay that way. Hint words that give clues to the theme words can also be found by discovering three words of at least four letters each. If players are stuck, they can continue to find hint words until the game reveals the theme word. The goal is to use every letter on the board in either a theme word or spangram, with no overlapping words allowed.
As the Strands game continues to evolve during its beta testing phase, players can expect improvements and updates to enhance their gameplay experience. While currently separate from The New York Times Games app, Strands offers a unique and challenging word puzzle that appeals to fans of games like Wordle and Connections. By following the provided clues and hints, players can work their way through each day’s puzzle and uncover the hidden theme words and spangram that complete the challenge. With each new theme and set of words, players can test their word-finding skills and enjoy the satisfaction of completing the puzzle.
