Archive studyCategories, difficulty, clue trendsPage 25 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 721-750 of 943 themes.

Page 25 of 32

Oct 12, 2024Category ListMedium

Toon time

Theme words

BUGSDAFFYFOGHORNFOXYGRANNYPETUNIAPORKY

Spangram: CHARACTERS

Oct 11, 2024Category ListMedium

Let's experiment

Theme words

BEAKERFLASKGOGGLESPIPETTETHERMOMETER

Spangram: CHEMISTRYLAB

Oct 10, 2024Category ListMedium

Think about it

Theme words

CROSSWORDCRYPTOGRAMJIGSAWJUMBLEMAZESUDOKU

Spangram: PUZZLES

Oct 9, 2024Category ListEasy

Full house

Theme words

FOYERHALLKITCHENLIBRARYOFFICEPANTRYSTUDY

Spangram: HOMEROOM

Oct 8, 2024Category ListMedium

Protective measures

Theme words

BACKUPENCRYPTIONFIREWALLLOCKPASSWORDSAFE

Spangram: SECURITY

Oct 7, 2024Category ListMedium

Most excellent

Theme words

BOSSCHOICEDANDYGROOVYHYPERIGHTEOUSSWELL

Spangram: THATSCOOL

Oct 6, 2024Food & DrinkMedium

Got any bleu cheese?

Theme words

BACONCHICKENEGGSGREENSTOMATOVINAIGRETTE

Spangram: COBBSALAD

Oct 5, 2024Category ListHard

No way!

Theme words

CHARLATANFAKEHOAXHUMBUGPHONYQUACKSHAM

Spangram: THATSUNREAL

Oct 4, 2024Category ListMedium

Driver's catch-all

Theme words

ATLASFLAREMANUALQUARTERREGISTRATIONTITLE

Spangram: GLOVEBOX

Oct 3, 2024Category ListMedium

Hairy styles

Theme words

BUZZFADEFAUXHAWKFLATTOPPAGEBOYPIXIESHAG

Spangram: SHORTCUTS

Oct 2, 2024Category ListMedium

Fresh out of the oven

Theme words

CROISSANTDANISHGALETTEMUFFINSCONESTRUDEL

Spangram: PASTRIES

Oct 1, 2024Category ListEasy

Channel surfing

Theme words

DISCOVERYHALLMARKHISTORYLIFETIMEPARAMOUNT

Spangram: NETWORK

Sep 30, 2024Category ListMedium

Words with weight

Theme words

BANTAMCRUISERFEATHERHEAVYLIGHTMIDDLEWELTER

Spangram: BOXING

Sep 29, 2024Category ListMedium

Weed 'em and reap

Theme words

APPLEKOHLRABIONIONPUMPKINRADISHSQUASH

Spangram: FALLHARVEST

Sep 28, 2024Category ListEasy

Feeling good

Theme words

EXCITEMENTGRATITUDEHAPPINESSLOVEPLEASURE

Spangram: EMOTIONS

Sep 27, 2024Category ListMedium

Medieval marvel

Theme words

COURTYARDDRAWBRIDGEKEEPMOATTOWERTURRETWALL

Spangram: CASTLE

Sep 26, 2024Category ListMedium

Special delivery

Theme words

BLANKETCRIBHIGHCHAIRPLAYPENSTROLLERSWING

Spangram: BABYGEAR

Sep 25, 2024Category ListEasy

Claim your steak

Theme words

BRISKETCHUCKFLANKRIBEYEROUNDSHANKSIRLOIN

Spangram: BEEFCUTS

Sep 24, 2024Category ListEasy

Spacing out

Theme words

ALIENCYBORGDROIDMARTIANMUTANTROBOT

Spangram: SCIENCEFICTION

Sep 23, 2024Category ListEasy

Gnaw-it-alls

Theme words

CHINCHILLAHAMSTERMUSKRATPORCUPINESQUIRREL

Spangram: RODENTS

Sep 22, 2024Category ListEasy

I've got you under my skin

Theme words

BRAINHEARTKIDNEYSLIVERLUNGSSTOMACH

Spangram: INTERNALORGANS

Sep 21, 2024Category ListMedium

I've got the music in me!

Theme words

ARENAFESTIVALNIGHTCLUBSTADIUMTHEATER

Spangram: CONCERTVENUE

Sep 20, 2024WordplayHard

A way with words

Theme words

DICTIONMETERRHYMESCANSIONSTANZASYNTAXVERSE

Spangram: POETRY

Sep 19, 2024Category ListMedium

Work out the bugs

Theme words

BEETLEEARWIGMILLIPEDESPIDERTERMITE

Spangram: CREEPYCRAWLIES

Sep 18, 2024Category ListMedium

Handy helpers

Theme words

HAMMERKNIFELEVELPLIERSSCREWDRIVERWRENCH

Spangram: TOOLCHEST

Sep 17, 2024Category ListMedium

On the rebound

Theme words

BASKETBALLECHOKANGAROOSPRINGTRAMPOLINE

Spangram: LETSBOUNCE

Sep 16, 2024Category ListEasy

What a stud!

Theme words

CHEEKEARLOBEEYEBROWNAVELNOSESEPTUMTONGUE

Spangram: PIERCING

Sep 15, 2024Category ListMedium

On the rocks

Theme words

BITTERSCHERRYORANGESUGARWATERWHISKEY

Spangram: OLDFASHIONED

Sep 14, 2024Category ListEasy

Elements of style

Theme words

BELTGLASSESHANDBAGJEWELRYSCARFWATCH

Spangram: ACCESSORIZING

Sep 13, 2024Category ListEasy

Boots and saddles

Theme words

BOUNTYCOWBOYDUELHORSEOUTLAWSALOONSHERIFF

Spangram: WESTERNS

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.