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Archive studyCategories, difficulty, clue trendsPage 21 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 601-630 of 943 themes.

Page 21 of 32
Feb 9, 2025Category ListEasy

We are the champions!

Theme words

COMMERCIALSPARTYTACKLESTOUCHDOWNSTROPHY

Spangram: SUPERBOWL

Feb 8, 2025Category ListMedium

Westminster assembly

Theme words

HERDINGHOUNDSSPORTINGTERRIERSTOYSWORKING

Spangram: DOGGROUP

Feb 7, 2025Category ListMedium

A flair for fashion

Theme words

EMBROIDERYFRINGELACESEQUINSTASSEL

Spangram: CLOTHINGACCENTS

Feb 6, 2025Category ListMedium

I'm a person of my word

Theme words

CHASECHUCKDREWFRANKJIMMYMILESROBINWILL

Spangram: FIRSTNAMES

Feb 5, 2025Category ListMedium

What's your reaction?

Theme words

DANDERDUSTFRAGRANCELATEXMOLDPOLLENSMOKE

Spangram: ALLERGENS

Feb 4, 2025Category ListMedium

Elf-centered

Theme words

FAIRYGREMLINHOBGOBLINLEPRECHAUNPIXIESPRITE

Spangram: IMPISH

Feb 3, 2025Category ListMedium

Order up!

Theme words

BAKEBASTEBOILCODDLEPICKLEPOACHSCRAMBLE

Spangram: MAKINGEGGS

Feb 2, 2025Category ListMedium

Album of the year

Theme words

CROSSHILLJONESKINGSTYLESSWIFTWONDER

Spangram: GRAMMYWINNERS

Feb 1, 2025Category ListEasy

Hunt and peck

Theme words

CONDOREAGLEFALCONHAWKKESTRELOSPREYVULTURE

Spangram: RAPTORS

Jan 31, 2025Category ListMedium

Baby talk

Theme words

BOTTLEBYEBYEDADAKITTYMAMAMINEMOREYUCKY

Spangram: FIRSTWORDS

Jan 30, 2025Category ListMedium

Stopping by woods on a snowy evening

Theme words

BELLSDARKDEEPFROZENLAKELOVELYSHAKESLEEP

Spangram: FROSTPOEM

Jan 29, 2025Category ListMedium

Show of hands

Theme words

FINGERGLOVEMARIONETTESHADOWSOCKSTICK

Spangram: PUPPETMASTER

Jan 28, 2025Category ListEasy

Stable supply

Theme words

BRIDLECROPHARNESSREINSSADDLESPURS

Spangram: HORSEBACKRIDING

Jan 27, 2025Category ListMedium

Viva Las Vegas

Theme words

BACCARATBLACKJACKCRAPSPOKERROULETTESLOTS

Spangram: GAMBLING

Jan 26, 2025Category ListEasy

Ore so they say

Theme words

ALUMINUMCADMIUMCOBALTIRONNICKELTITANIUM

Spangram: PUREMETAL

Jan 25, 2025Category ListEasy

Seeing double

Theme words

BALLOONCOFFEECOMMITTEESUCCEEDWHIPPOORWILL

Spangram: LETTERS

Jan 24, 2025Category ListMedium

Get smart

Theme words

BRIGHTBRILLIANTCLEVERINTELLIGENTQUICK

Spangram: THATSGENIUS

Jan 23, 2025Food & DrinkEasy

Udderly delicious

Theme words

BUTTERCHEESECUSTARDGELATOMILKYOGURT

Spangram: DAIRYPRODUCTS

Jan 22, 2025Category ListMedium

Pixar this

Theme words

BRAVECARSELEMENTALONWARDRATATOUILLESOUL

Spangram: ANIMATION

Jan 21, 2025Category ListMedium

You don't say ...

Theme words

BOSSCHERRYFRESHMAJORPHATRADICALTUBULAR

Spangram: DATEDSLANG

Jan 20, 2025Category ListMedium

Curiouser and curiouser!

Theme words

CATERPILLARCROQUETDORMOUSEHATTERRABBIT

Spangram: WONDERLAND

Jan 19, 2025Category ListMedium

I get the message

Theme words

DRAFTSINBOXSENTSNOOZEDSPAMSTARREDTRASH

Spangram: EMAILLABEL

Jan 18, 2025Category ListMedium

O ___! My ___!

Theme words

CRUNCHHOOKKANGAROOOBVIOUSPLANETUNDERPANTS

Spangram: CAPTAIN

Jan 17, 2025Category ListMedium

The time of our lives

Theme words

ALPHABOOMERGREATESTMILLENNIALZOOMER

Spangram: GENERATIONGAP

Jan 16, 2025Category ListEasy

Bar association

Theme words

COSMOPOLITANMARTINISIDECARSTINGERZOMBIE

Spangram: COCKTAILS

Jan 15, 2025Category ListEasy

Thar she blows!

Theme words

BALEENBELUGABLUEGRAYHUMPBACKORCARIGHTSPERM

Spangram: WHALES

Jan 14, 2025Category ListMedium

Bundle up

Theme words

BEANIEGLOVESJACKETMITTENSPARKASCARF

Spangram: WINTERCLOTHES

Jan 13, 2025Category ListMedium

Hole foods

Theme words

BLUEBERRYEVERYTHINGGARLICPLAINRAISINSESAME

Spangram: BAGELS

Jan 12, 2025Category ListEasy

Wait what?

Theme words

ASTONISHFLABBERGASTGOBSMACKSTUNSURPRISE

Spangram: MINDBLOWN

Jan 11, 2025Category ListMedium

Say when ...

Theme words

DAWNDAYBREAKDUSKEVENINGMORNINGNOONTWILIGHT

Spangram: TIMING

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.