Archive studyCategories, difficulty, clue trendsPage 15 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 421-450 of 943 themes.

Page 15 of 32

Aug 8, 2025Category ListMedium

Kings of swing and bebop

Theme words

CANNONBALLCOUNTDIZZYDUKEFATSHAWKYARDBIRD

Spangram: JAZZCATS

Aug 7, 2025Category ListMedium

Rock solid

Theme words

CONSTANTDEVOTEDFIRMSOUNDSTEADYUNWAVERING

Spangram: HOLDFAST

Aug 6, 2025Category ListMedium

Paint me a picture

Theme words

BOOKFRUITGUITARJEWELRYPITCHERSUNFLOWERS

Spangram: STILLLIFE

Aug 5, 2025Category ListMedium

We have a winner!

Theme words

BINGODRAWINGGIVEAWAYLOTTERYSWEEPSTAKES

Spangram: LUCKYBREAK

Aug 4, 2025Category ListMedium

Cutting it close

Theme words

AFTERSHAVECAPECLIPPERSCOMBRAZORTRIMMER

Spangram: BARBERSHOP

Aug 3, 2025Category ListMedium

"Sorry, didn't catch that"

Theme words

BLOOPERBOBBLEERRORFAULTFUMBLEMUFFWHIFF

Spangram: SPORTSGOOF

Aug 2, 2025Category ListMedium

Pretty as a picture

Theme words

ADJUSTBLURCROPERASEFILTERMARKUPROTATE

Spangram: PHOTOEDITOR

Aug 1, 2025Category ListEasy

Slithering away

Theme words

ADDERANACONDACOBRAMAMBAPYTHONRATTLERVIPER

Spangram: SERPENT

Jul 31, 2025Food & DrinkMedium

Half-baked

Theme words

BUNDTCHEESEFRUITFUNNELLAVAPOUNDSPONGE

Spangram: PIECEOFCAKE

Jul 30, 2025Category ListMedium

You've got that right

Theme words

ASSEMBLYCOUNSELLIBERTYLIFESPEECHVOTE

Spangram: CONSTITUTION

Jul 29, 2025Category ListMedium

You got that right

Theme words

ACCURATEEXACTPERSNICKETYPRECISESTRICT

Spangram: TAKINGPAINS

Jul 28, 2025Category ListEasy

Inch by inch, row by row

Theme words

BLOSSOMGROWHARVESTRIPENSEEDSPROUT

Spangram: VEGETABLEGARDEN

Jul 27, 2025Category ListMedium

That's a good look

Theme words

EXAMINEINSPECTSCRUTINIZESTUDYSURVEYWEIGH

Spangram: ANALYSIS

Jul 26, 2025Category ListMedium

It's been a while

Theme words

ASSEMBLECONGREGATECONVENEGATHERMEETMUSTER

Spangram: REUNION

Jul 25, 2025Category ListMedium

Step to it!

Theme words

CHOREOGRAPHYCOSTUMEMUSICRECITALTEACHER

Spangram: DANCECLASS

Jul 24, 2025Category ListEasy

Back away slowly

Theme words

GROWLHISSHUFFRATTLESCREECHSNARLSPRAYSTOMP

Spangram: WARNING

Jul 23, 2025Category ListMedium

Chips in

Theme words

FONDUEGUACAMOLEHUMMUSQUESOSALSATZATZIKI

Spangram: PARTYDIPS

Jul 22, 2025Category ListMedium

Pet store purchase

Theme words

FILTERFISHPLANTSPUMPROCKSTANKTHERMOMETER

Spangram: AQUARIUM

Jul 21, 2025Category ListMedium

I fold!

Theme words

BOATBUTTERFLYCRANEFISHFLOWERFROGHEARTKITE

Spangram: ORIGAMI

Jul 20, 2025Category ListMedium

Shore thing!

Theme words

BIKINISANDALSSARONGSWIMSUITTRUNKSWRAP

Spangram: BEACHATTIRE

Jul 19, 2025Category ListMedium

Hot enough for ya?

Theme words

BALMYMUGGYSCORCHINGSTICKYSWELTERING

Spangram: SUMMERWEATHER

Jul 18, 2025Category ListEasy

Abracadabra!

Theme words

DISAPPEARESCAPELEVITATEMULTIPLYTRANSFORM

Spangram: ITSMAGIC

Jul 17, 2025Category ListMedium

Find your seat

Theme words

BALCONYBOXESLOBBYMEZZANINEORCHESTRAWINGS

Spangram: THEATERS

Jul 16, 2025Category ListMedium

Tech accessories

Theme words

CASECHARGERFOLIOKEYBOARDSPEAKERSTANDSTYLUS

Spangram: TABLET

Jul 15, 2025Category ListHard

Come one, come all!

Theme words

GAMESLIVESTOCKMUSICPRIZESRIDESVENDORS

Spangram: COUNTYFAIRS

Jul 14, 2025Category ListEasy

Won't you be my neighbor?

Theme words

FIREFIGHTERJANITORLIBRARIANMAYORTEACHER

Spangram: COMMUNITY

Jul 13, 2025Category ListMedium

Completely fabricated

Theme words

COTTONLINENPOLYESTERRAYONSILKSPANDEXWOOL

Spangram: TEXTILES

Jul 12, 2025Category ListMedium

In the ballpark

Theme words

BULLPENGLOVEHELMETJUMBOTRONPEANUTSPITCHER

Spangram: STADIUM

Jul 11, 2025Category ListMedium

It could be verse

Theme words

ACROSTICBALLADELEGYEPICHAIKULIMERICKSONNET

Spangram: POETRY

Jul 10, 2025Category ListMedium

Nap time!

Theme words

DROWSYFATIGUEDKNACKEREDSPENTTIREDWEARY

Spangram: SLEEPYHEAD

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.