Today’s Strands puzzle from The New York Times proved to be an unconventional challenge, requiring players to think outside the box to connect a diverse set of words.
How to Play Strands
Strands is a word search puzzle with a thematic twist. Players are presented with a 6×8 grid of letters and must find a set of words related to a given clue. Correctly identified theme words are highlighted in blue. A special word, the “spangram,” describes the puzzle’s theme, spans the entire board from one side to the other, and is highlighted in yellow upon discovery.
Today’s Hint and Solution
The official clue for today’s puzzle was: “Around it goes.”
The solution hinged on a play on words, revealed by the spangram: THATSAWRAP.
The theme words hidden in the grid were:
- SCARF
- SHAWL
- STOLE
- CELLOPHANE
- FOIL
- FLATBREAD
The puzzle’s difficulty stemmed from its dual theme, combining items that are wrapped around the body—such as a SCARF, SHAWL, or STOLE—with materials used to wrap food, like CELLOPHANE and FOIL. The inclusion of FLATBREAD, which can be used as a food wrap, further blended these categories, making the common thread challenging to identify.
