Archive studyCategories, difficulty, clue trendsPage 17 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 481-510 of 943 themes.

Page 17 of 32

Jun 9, 2025Category ListMedium

What you see isn't what you get

Theme words

CAMOUFLAGECLOAKCOVERDISGUISEFACADEMASK

Spangram: FALSEFRONT

Jun 8, 2025Category ListMedium

On Broadway

Theme words

CASTCOSTUMESDANCINGLIGHTSSCORESINGING

Spangram: ITSSHOWTIME

Jun 7, 2025Category ListMedium

I am what I am

Theme words

HUMANINDIVIDUALMORTALPERSONSOMEONESOUL

Spangram: BEYOURSELF

Jun 6, 2025Category ListEasy

String's attached

Theme words

BREAKAWAYELEVATORPINWHEELSEASICKSLEEPER

Spangram: YOYOTRICK

Jun 5, 2025Category ListMedium

Mary, Mary, quite ...

Theme words

BELLSCOCKLESHELLSCONTRARYMAIDSPRETTYSILVER

Spangram: GARDEN

Jun 4, 2025Category ListMedium

Monster quest

Theme words

BIGFOOTCRAWLERJACKALOPEKRAKENMOTHMANYETI

Spangram: CRYPTIDS

Jun 3, 2025Category ListMedium

That's proprietary!

Theme words

CHAPSTICKJACUZZIKLEENEXPOPSICLEVELCRO

Spangram: TRADEMARKED

Jun 2, 2025Category ListMedium

On the vine

Theme words

BEEFSTEAKCHERRYHEIRLOOMJUBILEELUNCHBOXPLUM

Spangram: TOMATO

Jun 1, 2025Category ListMedium

All rise

Theme words

ALIBIBAILCOURTROOMLAWYERMOTIONOBJECTION

Spangram: YOURHONOR

May 31, 2025Category ListMedium

Next to the bobby pins

Theme words

BARRETTECLAWCLIPHEADBANDSCRUNCHIE

Spangram: HAIRACCESSORIES

May 30, 2025Category ListEasy

And here's the kicker ...

Theme words

DEFENDERFORWARDGOALKEEPERMIDFIELDERSTRIKER

Spangram: SOCCER

May 29, 2025Category ListMedium

It's a little buggy

Theme words

BUTTERFLYDRAGONFLYFLEAHORNETMANTISMOTHWASP

Spangram: INSECT

May 28, 2025Category ListMedium

Top contenders

Theme words

CHAMPMEDALISTTITLEHOLDERVICTORWINNER

Spangram: FINISHSTRONG

May 27, 2025Category ListMedium

A strange new world

Theme words

ANIMALFARMGAMESHANDMAIDSHUNGERTALE

Spangram: DYSTOPIANNOVEL

May 26, 2025Category ListMedium

Body language

Theme words

CURTSEYHANDSHAKEKOWTOWNAMASTESALUTESHRUG

Spangram: GESTURES

May 25, 2025Category ListMedium

Get out the dust buster!

Theme words

DECLUTTERDONATELABELREORGANIZESELL

Spangram: SPRINGCLEANING

May 24, 2025Category ListMedium

Flights of fancy

Theme words

CHAMPAGNELEGROOMPILLOWPRIVACYTOWELETTE

Spangram: FIRSTCLASS

May 23, 2025Category ListMedium

The musical fruit

Theme words

BLACKCANNELLINIFAVAGREENKIDNEYNAVYPINTO

Spangram: BEANSALAD

May 22, 2025Category ListEasy

Keeping an eye on things

Theme words

CUSTODIANGUARDIANPROTECTORSTEWARDTRUSTEE

Spangram: TAKECARE

May 21, 2025Category ListEasy

Three's a crowd

Theme words

COUPLEMATCHPAIRPARTNERSTWINSTWOSOME

Spangram: DOUBLETROUBLE

May 20, 2025Food & DrinkMedium

Oh, of course!

Theme words

APPETIZERSCHEESEDESSERTENTREESALADSOUP

Spangram: FINEDINING

May 19, 2025Category ListEasy

Taking the bait

Theme words

HALIBUTMACKERELSALMONSNAPPERTROUT

Spangram: SOMETHINGSFISHY

May 18, 2025Category ListEasy

Riding the wind

Theme words

HELMHULLKEELMASTRIGGINGRUDDERSTERNTILLER

Spangram: SAILBOAT

May 17, 2025Category ListMedium

She's got game

Theme words

DREAMFEVERLIBERTYLYNXMERCURYSTORMWINGS

Spangram: BASKETBALL

May 16, 2025Category ListMedium

To a degree

Theme words

DIPLOMAGOWNPHOTOPROCESSIONSPEECHTASSEL

Spangram: GRADUATION

May 15, 2025Category ListMedium

Animal drives

Theme words

BEETLEBRONCOIMPALAJAGUARMUSTANGRABBIT

Spangram: AUTOMOBILES

May 14, 2025Category ListEasy

Boogie woogie woogie

Theme words

FOOTLOOSEHUSTLELOCOMOTIONMACARENAWOBBLE

Spangram: LINEDANCE

May 13, 2025Category ListMedium

Keep on keeping on

Theme words

ABIDEENDURELASTPERSEVEREPERSISTSURVIVE

Spangram: STAYSTRONG

May 12, 2025Category ListMedium

A little respect

Theme words

CHARACTERNAMEREPUTATIONSTANDINGSTATURE

Spangram: STREETCRED

May 11, 2025Category ListMedium

Happy ...

Theme words

BREAKFASTCARDSDRAWINGSFLOWERSHUGSPARTY

Spangram: MOTHERSDAY

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.