How do I submit a word in NYT Strands?

Drag across adjacent letters and release, or tap each letter in order and double-tap the final letter to submit the word.

How do hints work in NYT Strands?

Three valid non-theme words of four or more letters earn a hint. The first hint highlights the letters of a theme word; using another hint while that word is active shows the letter order.

Can you lose NYT Strands?

There is no attempt limit or wrong-answer penalty. You finish when the spangram and every theme word have been found.

How to Play NYT Strands

Strands is the New York Times' daily word-search puzzle. Find every theme-related word hidden in a 6×8 grid, including one special spangram.

How to play, step by step

Read the theme clue. It may name a category directly or use wordplay that becomes clear after your first answer.
Select adjacent letters. Letters may connect horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, and a path can turn repeatedly.
Submit the word. Drag through the full path and release, or tap letters one at a time and double-tap the final letter.
Find the theme words and spangram. Theme words turn blue. The spangram turns gold and touches two opposite sides of the board.
Fill the board. You win when every letter belongs to a solved theme word or the spangram.

NYT Strands rules

The board is a 6×8 grid of 48 letters.
Connect adjacent letters in any direction — including diagonals.
Words can change direction, but no letter is used twice in a word.
In the completed board, every letter belongs to exactly one answer.
Theme words turn blue; the spangram turns gold.
There is no attempt limit and no wrong-answer penalty.

How the hint system works

For every three valid non-theme words (4+ letters) you find, you earn a hint. The first hint circles the letters of one unsolved theme word, but you still have to connect them in the correct order.

If that hinted word remains unsolved and you spend another hint, the game shows the order of those letters. This second-hint behavior is easy to miss and is one of the most frequent questions in player discussions.

Beginner strategy that actually helps

Treat the clue as wordplay. Ask whether it suggests a category, a phrase, words before or after another word, or a double meaning.
Start near rare letters. Q, X, Z, and J reduce the number of plausible paths and often give you a foothold.
Check both opposite-edge routes. The spangram must touch top and bottom or left and right, but it need not start at an edge.
Use the shape of solved areas. Blue and gold paths cannot overlap, so each answer narrows the routes available to the remaining words.
Bank bonus words before you are stuck. Ordinary 4+ letter words can earn hints even when they do not match the theme.
Take a short break. Strands rewards visual pattern recognition; returning with fresh eyes often exposes a path immediately.

Common questions

How do I enter a word?

Drag and release, or tap the letters in sequence and double-tap the last letter. The second method is often easier on a small screen or a path with tight turns.

What does a second hint do?

If a hint has already highlighted an unsolved word, another hint reveals the order in which to connect those letters.

Can I lose?

No. There is no fixed number of lives or guesses. The puzzle ends only when you have found every theme word and the spangram.

Play or get help

Play the daily puzzle on The New York Times. If you are already stuck, use today's spoiler-controlled hints or the Strands answer finder. You can also browse past puzzles.