Archive studyCategories, difficulty, clue trendsPage 19 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 541-570 of 943 themes.

Page 19 of 32

Apr 10, 2025Category ListEasy

What's the buzz?

Theme words

ABDOMENANTENNAESTINGERTHORAXTONGUEWINGS

Spangram: BUMBLEBEE

Apr 9, 2025Category ListMedium

That's quite a (tasty) mouthful

Theme words

ARUGULAAVOCADOCAULIFLOWERWATERMELON

Spangram: FOURSYLLABLES

Apr 8, 2025Category ListMedium

Out of this world

Theme words

ALIENARRIVALDUNEGRAVITYMEGALOPOLIS

Spangram: SCIENCEFICTION

Apr 7, 2025Category ListMedium

Half-and-half

Theme words

CENTAURGRIFFINJACKALOPEMERMANSATYR

Spangram: HYBRIDCREATURE

Apr 6, 2025Category ListMedium

The feeling is mutual

Theme words

AGREECLICKCONNECTHARMONIZEMESHRELATEVIBE

Spangram: GETALONG

Apr 5, 2025Category ListMedium

In it to win it

Theme words

COMEBACKRALLYROUTSWEEPTHREEPEATUPSET

Spangram: GAMECHANGERS

Apr 4, 2025Category ListEasy

Step on it!

Theme words

CONCRETEHARDWOODLAMINATELINOLEUMTERRAZZO

Spangram: FLOORING

Apr 3, 2025Category ListMedium

Get the bug

Theme words

ASSASSINDOODLELADYLIGHTNINGPOTATOSTINK

Spangram: ENTOMOLOGY

Apr 2, 2025Category ListEasy

Shine on

Theme words

DAZZLEGLEAMRADIATESHIMMERSPARKLETWINKLE

Spangram: STARPOWER

Apr 1, 2025Category ListMedium

It's a sign!

Theme words

BLOSSOMSBUDSPOLLENPUDDLESROBINSSHOWERS

Spangram: SPRINGTIME

Mar 31, 2025Category ListEasy

That's an equine of a different shade!

Theme words

BUCKSKINCHESTNUTDAPPLEPALOMINOROAN

Spangram: HORSECOLORINGS

Mar 30, 2025Category ListEasy

Join the chorus

Theme words

ALTOBARITONEBASSMEZZOSOPRANOTENORTREBLE

Spangram: CHOIRPART

Mar 29, 2025Category ListMedium

Power plants

Theme words

BEANSNUTSSEEDSSEITANTEMPEHTOFUYEAST

Spangram: VEGANPROTEINS

Mar 28, 2025Category ListMedium

Wise ones

Theme words

ELDERPHILOSOPHERSAGETHINKERVISIONARY

Spangram: GUIDINGLIGHT

Mar 27, 2025Category ListEasy

Playing the field

Theme words

BRAVEBREWERDODGERGIANTMARLINPIRATE

Spangram: NATIONALLEAGUE

Mar 26, 2025Category ListEasy

In the circle of life

Theme words

ELEPHANTHORNBILLHYENAMEERKATWARTHOGZEBRA

Spangram: LIONKING

Mar 25, 2025Category ListEasy

For starters

Theme words

CALAMARIFONDUENACHOSPOPPERSSLIDERSWINGS

Spangram: APPETIZER

Mar 24, 2025Category ListMedium

Yes, Queen ...

Theme words

BLONDIEEAGLESGENESISHEARTJOURNEYKISSRUSH

Spangram: ROCKBAND

Mar 23, 2025Category ListMedium

In stitches

Theme words

BASTECROCHETDARNEMBROIDERKNITMENDPATCH

Spangram: NEEDLEWORK

Mar 22, 2025Category ListMedium

A good roast

Theme words

CACKLECHUCKLEGIGGLEHOWLLAUGHROARSHRIEK

Spangram: CRACKINGUP

Mar 21, 2025Category ListMedium

Ode to the aubergine

Theme words

MOUSSAKAPARMIGIANARATATOUILLESTUFFED

Spangram: EGGPLANTDISH

Mar 20, 2025Category ListMedium

Wetland patrol

Theme words

BITTERNEGRETFLAMINGOIBISSPOONBILLSTORK

Spangram: WADINGBIRD

Mar 19, 2025Category ListMedium

Upright and grand

Theme words

COVERFRAMEHAMMERSKEYBOARDPEDALSSTRINGS

Spangram: PIANOPARTS

Mar 18, 2025Category ListMedium

Grrr

Theme words

CRANKYGRUMPYIRKEDPEEVEDSURLYTOUCHYVEXED

Spangram: CROSSWORD

Mar 17, 2025Category ListMedium

Sound switching

Theme words

BEDDINGBLUSHINGCHIPSCROWSTRICKENWELLS

Spangram: SPOONERISMS

Mar 16, 2025SportsMedium

Drive to survive

Theme words

PITSPODIUMPRACTICEQUALIFYINGRACESPRINT

Spangram: FORMULAONE

Mar 15, 2025Category ListEasy

Free for all

Theme words

BOTTLEDECALLANYARDNOTEBOOKPENCILSHIRTTOTE

Spangram: SWAGBAG

Mar 14, 2025Category ListMedium

Fillin' good!

Theme words

APPLEBLUEBERRYCHERRYPEACHPECANPUMPKIN

Spangram: CLASSICPIES

Mar 13, 2025Category ListMedium

What goes around comes around

Theme words

BOOMERANGBOUNCEREBOUNDRETURNRICOCHET

Spangram: NICECOMEBACK

Mar 12, 2025Category ListEasy

Bearing gifts

Theme words

CHOPSFLAIRKNACKPROWESSSKILLSTRENGTHTALENT

Spangram: PRODIGY

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.