Archive studyCategories, difficulty, clue trendsPage 13 of 32

Strands Theme Explorer

Study how NYT Strands themes are trending across the archive. This page groups puzzles by category, difficulty, and clue style so you can spot patterns in the way Strands is built.

Browse themes

Search every Strands theme by clue, answer words, or spangram. Filter by category or difficulty when you want to study one slice of the archive.

Showing 361-390 of 943 themes.

Page 13 of 32

Oct 7, 2025Category ListMedium

Unusual companions

Theme words

AXOLOTLCHINCHILLAGECKOPARROTPYTHONSKUNK

Spangram: EXOTICPET

Oct 6, 2025Category ListMedium

In for the evening

Theme words

JOGGERSLONGJOHNSNIGHTGOWNSPAJAMASROBES

Spangram: LOUNGEWEAR

Oct 5, 2025Category ListMedium

Don't take the bait

Theme words

DECEPTIONDECOYLUREPLOYRUSESTRATAGEMTRICK

Spangram: ITSATRAP

Oct 4, 2025Category ListMedium

Bring it home

Theme words

JEWELRYKEYCHAINMAGNETPOSTCARDSHIRTSPOON

Spangram: SOUVENIRS

Oct 3, 2025Category ListMedium

Who's in charge?

Theme words

BOSSCHIEFDIRECTORHEADMANAGERSUPERVISOR

Spangram: LEADERSHIP

Oct 2, 2025Category ListEasy

The slightest touch …

Theme words

DAINTYDELICATEFRAGILEGOSSAMERWISPY

Spangram: HANDLEWITHCARE

Oct 1, 2025Category ListMedium

That's got a ring to it!

Theme words

ACROBATCLOWNCONTORTIONISTJUGGLER

Spangram: CIRCUSPERFORMERS

Sep 30, 2025Category ListEasy

For goodness' sake

Theme words

COOPERATIONDISCIPLINEEMPATHYHONESTYRESPECT

Spangram: VALUES

Sep 29, 2025Category ListEasy

Chew on that!

Theme words

BERRYBUBBLECINNAMONSPEARMINTWINTERGREEN

Spangram: GUMFLAVOR

Sep 28, 2025Category ListMedium

Hit the deck!

Theme words

CLUBSDIAMONDSHEARTSJACKKINGQUEENSPADES

Spangram: INTHECARDS

Sep 27, 2025Category ListMedium

Mum's the word

Theme words

HUSHEDINAUDIBLEMUTEDNOISELESSQUIETSILENT

Spangram: PIPEDOWN

Sep 26, 2025Category ListEasy

As old as time

Theme words

CHIMESGEARSPENDULUMWEIGHTSWINDER

Spangram: GRANDFATHERCLOCK

Sep 25, 2025Category ListMedium

Simply divine

Theme words

ARCHANGELGUARDIANHERALDMESSENGERSERAPH

Spangram: HEAVENSENT

Sep 24, 2025Category ListMedium

Lip service

Theme words

FROWNGAPEGRINPOUTSCOWLSMILESMIRKSNEER

Spangram: EXPRESSIONS

Sep 23, 2025Category ListMedium

On the syllabus

Theme words

EXAMHOMEWORKLECTUREPAPERQUIZREADING

Spangram: COLLEGECOURSE

Sep 22, 2025Category ListMedium

Find an opening

Theme words

ALCOVECRANNYCREVICENICHENOOKPIGEONHOLE

Spangram: MINDTHEGAP

Sep 21, 2025Category ListMedium

Stand by me

Theme words

BOLSTERCOMFORTFORTIFYSTRENGTHENSUPPORT

Spangram: SOLIDARITY

Sep 20, 2025Category ListMedium

Dire straits

Theme words

DILEMMAMESSMUDDLEPICKLEPREDICAMENTQUANDARY

Spangram: INAFIX

Sep 19, 2025Category ListMedium

Pour it on

Theme words

ALMONDCASHEWCOCONUTFLAXMACADAMIARICE

Spangram: NONDAIRYMILK

Sep 18, 2025Category ListMedium

Practice makes perfect

Theme words

CHORDRECITALSCALETECHNIQUETHEORYTUNE

Spangram: PIANOLESSONS

Sep 17, 2025Category ListEasy

We beg to differ

Theme words

BOLDFLEXIBLENOISYQUIETRIGIDTIMID

Spangram: OPPOSITESATTRACT

Sep 16, 2025Category ListMedium

Riding high

Theme words

CABLECARABINERGLOVESHARNESSHELMETPULLEY

Spangram: ZIPLINING

Sep 15, 2025Category ListMedium

For a fortune

Theme words

DEVILEMPRESSFOOLLOVERSMAGICIANMOONSTAR

Spangram: TAROTCARDS

Sep 14, 2025Category ListMedium

Hurry up!

Theme words

LEISURELYPOKEYRELAXEDSLOWSLUGGISHSTEADY

Spangram: NOTSOFAST

Sep 13, 2025Category ListMedium

Better than good

Theme words

APESAUNTSEXPECTATIONSLAKESMINDSPLAINS

Spangram: THEYREGREAT

Sep 12, 2025Category ListEasy

That's classic

Theme words

AGELESSANTIQUEENDURINGHISTORICVINTAGE

Spangram: TIMEHONORED

Sep 11, 2025Category ListMedium

Take a break

Theme words

EXERCISEJOURNALMEDITATEPAINTREADUNPLUGWALK

Spangram: METIME

Sep 10, 2025Category ListEasy

Keep it classy

Theme words

ENGLISHLUNCHMATHMUSICRECESSSCIENCE

Spangram: SCHOOLSCHEDULE

Sep 9, 2025Category ListMedium

No gray area

Theme words

DICEDOMINONEWSPAPERORCAPENGUINPIANO

Spangram: BLACKANDWHITE

Sep 8, 2025Category ListEasy

One for the Trekkies

Theme words

DISCOVERYENTERPRISEINTREPIDTITANVOYAGER

Spangram: STARSHIPS

Theme category frequency

Category List

872 puzzles

Food & Drink

26 puzzles

Science & Nature

13 puzzles

Pop Culture

11 puzzles

Sports

8 puzzles

Wordplay

7 puzzles

Language

5 puzzles

History

1 puzzle

Difficulty mix

Medium

674 puzzles

Easy

240 puzzles

Hard

29 puzzles

Theme-word length distribution

5-letter words

1342 total

6-letter words

1204 total

4-letter words

966 total

7-letter words

954 total

8-letter words

578 total

9-letter words

369 total

10-letter words

206 total

11-letter words

83 total

12-letter words

23 total

13-letter words

6 total

14-letter words

1 total

15-letter words

1 total

Theme categories and difficulty bands are classified automatically from each puzzle's clue, spangram, and theme words. They are pattern-finding aids, not official NYT editorial labels.

For active play, open today's Strands hints, use the spangram helper, or compare dates in the Strands archive.

More Strands routes

Switch between today's hints, the archive, and the spangram helper while you study theme patterns.

Today's hintsReveal the clue, spangram, and solved grid at your own pace.Strands archiveBrowse earlier Strands puzzles by date.Spangram helperFocus on the bridge word first without opening the full board.