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Archive studyCategories, difficulty, clue trendsPage 18 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 511-540 of 943 themes.

Page 18 of 32
May 10, 2025Category ListMedium

Find the missing links

Theme words

ANDOUILLECHORIZOKIELBASALIVERWURSTSALAMI

Spangram: SAUSAGES

May 9, 2025Category ListMedium

Outsiders

Theme words

BACKPACKCOOLERGRILLLANTERNTENTTHERMOS

Spangram: CAMPINGGEAR

May 8, 2025Category ListMedium

Well, fancy that!

Theme words

DELUXEEXTRAVAGANTGAUDYLAVISHORNATESNAZZY

Spangram: OOHSHINY

May 7, 2025Category ListEasy

Training day

Theme words

BOXCARCABOOSEENGINEFLATBEDGONDOLAHOPPER

Spangram: ALLABOARD

May 6, 2025Category ListMedium

I'm in lobe

Theme words

CHANDELIERCLIPONCUFFHOOPPLUGSTUDTEARDROP

Spangram: EARRINGS

May 5, 2025Category ListMedium

On the side

Theme words

CRINKLECURLYHOMESHOESTRINGSTEAKWAFFLE

Spangram: FRENCHFRIES

May 4, 2025Science & NatureMedium

Star Wars: A New Hope

Theme words

EMPIREGALAXYLONGPLANETREBELSPACETIME

Spangram: OPENINGCRAWL

May 3, 2025Category ListMedium

Say "ah"

Theme words

GAUZESTETHOSCOPESYRINGETAPETHERMOMETER

Spangram: DOCTORSKIT

May 2, 2025Category ListMedium

What a trill!

Theme words

CARDINALCHICKADEELARKSPARROWWARBLERWREN

Spangram: SONGBIRDS

May 1, 2025Category ListEasy

I get around

Theme words

BICYCLEROLLERBLADESSCOOTERSKATEBOARDWAGON

Spangram: WHEELIE

Apr 30, 2025Category ListEasy

Best in class

Theme words

ATHLETECOUPLEDRESSEDEYESFRIENDSHAIRSMILE

Spangram: YEARBOOK

Apr 29, 2025Category ListMedium

I've got you covered

Theme words

ARMADILLONAUTILUSNUCLEUSTACOTORTOISEWALNUT

Spangram: SHELLS

Apr 28, 2025Category ListEasy

My bad!

Theme words

BLUNDERFALTERSLIPSPILLSTUMBLETOPPLE

Spangram: WHOOPSIEDAISY

Apr 27, 2025Category ListEasy

Sleep tight

Theme words

EARPLUGSMASKMEDITATIONMELATONINMOUTHGUARD

Spangram: BEDTIME

Apr 26, 2025Category ListMedium

Face time

Theme words

BRONZERCONCEALERFOUNDATIONPOWDERPRIMER

Spangram: MAKEUPEXAM

Apr 25, 2025Category ListEasy

It's in the stars

Theme words

CENTAURCROSSDIPPERHUNTERMAIDENSWAN

Spangram: CONSTELLATIONS

Apr 24, 2025Category ListMedium

Coarse material

Theme words

BARKLOOFAHPUMICEROPESACKCLOTHSANDPAPER

Spangram: ROUGHSTUFF

Apr 23, 2025Category ListEasy

What a softie!

Theme words

CATERPILLARCHENILLEDUCKLINGPEACHSLIPPERS

Spangram: GETFUZZY

Apr 22, 2025Food & DrinkMedium

Counter offers

Theme words

CHAIESPRESSOJUICESPASTRIESSANDWICHESSOUP

Spangram: CAFEMENU

Apr 21, 2025Category ListMedium

What talent!

Theme words

ACROBATCOMICDANCERDUETJUGGLERMAGICIAN

Spangram: VARIETYACTS

Apr 20, 2025Food & DrinkMedium

On the hunt

Theme words

BOOKBUNNYCANDYCHOCOLATEEGGSPEEPSTOYS

Spangram: EASTERBASKET

Apr 19, 2025Category ListEasy

___ a ___

Theme words

BREATHERCHANCEGANDERHIKEHINTNUMBERSELFIE

Spangram: TAKETHAT

Apr 18, 2025Category ListMedium

On the board

Theme words

BATTLESHIPCHECKERDOMINOKNIGHTTILETOKEN

Spangram: GAMEPIECES

Apr 17, 2025Category ListMedium

THE movies

Theme words

AVIATORGODFATHERGOONIESGRADUATERINGSHINING

Spangram: TITLES

Apr 16, 2025Category ListEasy

Fore!

Theme words

CHIPPERDRIVERIRONPUTTERUTILITYWEDGEWOOD

Spangram: GOLFCLUBS

Apr 15, 2025Category ListMedium

Draft picks

Theme words

BOCKLAGERNITROPILSNERPORTERSOURSTOUT

Spangram: MICROBREWERY

Apr 14, 2025Category ListEasy

April showers ...

Theme words

CROCUSDAFFODILHYACINTHIRISLILYTULIP

Spangram: SPRINGFLOWERS

Apr 13, 2025Category ListMedium

Orange door hinge

Theme words

FLEWHEIGHTHELLOPILOTPLAQUEQUEENSPREAD

Spangram: COLORRHYMES

Apr 12, 2025Category ListMedium

Get your mind out of the gutter

Theme words

FILTHYGRIMYMUDDYPOLLUTEDSTAINEDUNKEMPT

Spangram: DIRTYWORDS

Apr 11, 2025Category ListEasy

Buzzing in

Theme words

CATCHPHRASEJEOPARDYLINGOPASSWORDPYRAMID

Spangram: GAMESHOWS

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.