Archive studyCategories, difficulty, clue trendsPage 16 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 451-480 of 943 themes.

Page 16 of 32

Jul 9, 2025Category ListEasy

Party time!

Theme words

BALLOONBUNTINGCONFETTIPENNANTSTREAMER

Spangram: DECORATIONS

Jul 8, 2025Category ListEasy

So extra

Theme words

BEDROOMCHANGEHANDSKEYSMOMENTPARTSTIMETIRES

Spangram: SPARES

Jul 7, 2025Category ListEasy

Prescriptions plus

Theme words

BEAUTYGROCERYHEALTHMEDICINEVITAMINS

Spangram: PHARMACYAISLE

Jul 6, 2025Category ListMedium

My hero!

Theme words

FLIGHTHEALINGINVISIBILITYSPEEDSTRENGTH

Spangram: SUPERPOWER

Jul 5, 2025Category ListMedium

Every second counts

Theme words

CHRONOMETERCLOCKHOURGLASSSUNDIALWATCH

Spangram: TIMEKEEPERS

Jul 4, 2025Food & DrinkMedium

Let's have a picnic!

Theme words

BEANSBRATSBURGERSCOLESLAWSALADWATERMELON

Spangram: BARBECUE

Jul 3, 2025Category ListEasy

Beyond vanilla

Theme words

BROWNIEBUTTERSCOTCHCHERRYCOFFEEPISTACHIO

Spangram: ICECREAM

Jul 2, 2025Category ListMedium

This is for the birds

Theme words

FEATHERFLUFFGRASSLEAFMOSSTWIGWOOL

Spangram: NESTINGMATERIAL

Jul 1, 2025Category ListMedium

Center of attraction

Theme words

CAROUSELFUNHOUSESCRAMBLERSLIDETRAIN

Spangram: AMUSEMENTPARK

Jun 30, 2025Category ListEasy

Trellis beauties

Theme words

CLEMATISJASMINEMOONFLOWERSWEETPEAWISTERIA

Spangram: CLIMBER

Jun 29, 2025Category ListEasy

Hue are my sunshine

Theme words

BLUEGREENINDIGOORANGEVIOLETYELLOW

Spangram: CHASINGRAINBOWS

Jun 28, 2025Category ListMedium

... not included

Theme words

CAMERACLOCKFLASHLIGHTREMOTETOYS

Spangram: BATTERIESREQUIRED

Jun 27, 2025Category ListMedium

Playing dirty

Theme words

BUCKETFUNNELMOLDRAKESHOVELSIFTERTRUCK

Spangram: SANDBOXTOYS

Jun 26, 2025Category ListMedium

Fowl business

Theme words

GOOSEGROUSEPARTRIDGEPHEASANTQUAILTURKEY

Spangram: GAMEBIRDS

Jun 25, 2025Category ListMedium

Worth the splurge

Theme words

CONVERTIBLEHANDBAGJEWELRYPERFUMEWATCH

Spangram: LUXURYGOODS

Jun 24, 2025Category ListMedium

Healthful helpers

Theme words

CALCIUMFLAXSEEDMAGNESIUMPROBIOTICZINC

Spangram: SUPPLEMENTS

Jun 23, 2025Category ListMedium

Breaking up the band

Theme words

CHEAPHEADSPUMPKINSSMASHINGTALKINGTRICK

Spangram: ROCKGROUPS

Jun 22, 2025Category ListMedium

Fragrant abuse

Theme words

FOULMALODOROUSPUNGENTRANKREEKINGSMELLY

Spangram: THATSTINKS

Jun 21, 2025Category ListMedium

Goose eggs

Theme words

BUPKISNADANAUGHTNOTHINGZEROZILCHZIPPO

Spangram: DIDDLYSQUAT

Jun 20, 2025Category ListMedium

Just a dusting

Theme words

BABYBAKINGBLASTINGCHILICOCOAITCHINGTALCUM

Spangram: POWDERS

Jun 19, 2025Category ListMedium

Life is a highway

Theme words

AUDIOBOOKGAMESMOTELPHOTOSPLAYLISTSCENERY

Spangram: ROADTRIP

Jun 18, 2025Category ListMedium

Down time

Theme words

BLUEDOLEFULGLOOMYMELANCHOLYTEARYWOEBEGONE

Spangram: SADNESS

Jun 17, 2025Category ListEasy

Make it work

Theme words

CONTRIVEENGINEERFINAGLEFINESSENEGOTIATE

Spangram: FIGUREOUT

Jun 16, 2025Category ListMedium

Key notes

Theme words

ETUDEMINUETNOCTURNEPRELUDESONATASUITE

Spangram: PIANOPIECES

Jun 15, 2025Category ListMedium

Here's to him!

Theme words

CHALUPACRAWDADPAPARAZZIPOPCORNPOPSICLE

Spangram: FATHERSDAY

Jun 14, 2025Category ListMedium

It's a banner day

Theme words

CROSSCROWNMOONSHIELDSTARSTRIPETRIANGLE

Spangram: FLAGSYMBOL

Jun 13, 2025Category ListMedium

Scattering petals

Theme words

AZALEADAISYLILYPETUNIAPOPPYROSEVIOLET

Spangram: FLOWERGIRLS

Jun 12, 2025Category ListMedium

Gone fishing

Theme words

BOBBERHOOKLINELUREREELSCALESINKERSWIVEL

Spangram: TACKLEBOX

Jun 11, 2025Category ListMedium

If you build it ...

Theme words

BAROQUEBRUTALISTCLASSICALDECOREVIVAL

Spangram: ARCHITECTURE

Jun 10, 2025Category ListMedium

Mind your manners

Theme words

APOLOGIZECONSIDERLISTENRESPECTSHARETHANK

Spangram: BEPOLITE

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.