Archive studyCategories, difficulty, clue trendsPage 26 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 751-780 of 943 themes.

Page 26 of 32

Sep 12, 2024Category ListMedium

This should be right up your alley

Theme words

AVENUEBOULEVARDHIGHWAYLANEROADSTREET

Spangram: THOROUGHFARE

Sep 11, 2024Category ListEasy

Play-with words

Theme words

BLOCKSDOLLPUPPETPUZZLESLIMETRICYCLETRUCK

Spangram: TOYSTORE

Sep 10, 2024Category ListMedium

Give it a whirl!

Theme words

FOXTROTJIVEQUICKSTEPRUMBASALSAWALTZ

Spangram: BALLROOMDANCE

Sep 9, 2024Category ListEasy

Go play outside!

Theme words

BADMINTONBOCCECORNHOLECROQUETHORSESHOES

Spangram: LAWNGAMES

Sep 8, 2024Category ListEasy

A royal shade

Theme words

LAVENDERLILACMAGENTAMAUVEORCHIDPLUMVIOLET

Spangram: PURPLES

Sep 7, 2024Category ListMedium

Know your material

Theme words

CHIFFONDENIMJERSEYMUSLINSATINSPANDEXVELVET

Spangram: FABRIC

Sep 6, 2024Category ListMedium

Just right

Theme words

BABYBEDSCHAIRSHARDMAMAPAPAPORRIDGESOFT

Spangram: THREEBEARS

Sep 5, 2024Category ListEasy

Going underground

Theme words

BEETJICAMAPOTATORUTABAGATAROTURNIP

Spangram: ROOTVEGETABLES

Sep 4, 2024Category ListEasy

American beauty

Theme words

ARCHESBADLANDSGLACIERREDWOODSAGUARO

Spangram: NATIONALPARKS

Sep 3, 2024Category ListEasy

Striking sounds

Theme words

CHIMECLANGJINGLEKNELLPEALRINGTINKLETOLL

Spangram: BELLTONES

Sep 2, 2024Category ListMedium

Order in the court!

Theme words

BARONDUCHESSEARLESQUIREKNIGHTQUEENVISCOUNT

Spangram: TITLES

Sep 1, 2024Category ListEasy

Serve ginger-ly?

Theme words

AVOCADOCRABCUCUMBERMAYORICESEAWEED

Spangram: CALIFORNIAROLL

Aug 31, 2024Category ListMedium

Makeshift music

Theme words

BONESBROOMCOWBELLSPOONSSTOVEPIPEWASHBOARD

Spangram: JUGBAND

Aug 30, 2024Category ListMedium

Let's play

Theme words

FALLOUTHALOMINECRAFTOVERWATCHUNCHARTED

Spangram: VIDEOGAMES

Aug 29, 2024Food & DrinkMedium

Wake up and ...

Theme words

BLACKCAPPUCCINOESPRESSOICEDLATTEMOCHA

Spangram: COFFEEORDER

Aug 28, 2024Category ListMedium

Commuter benefits

Theme words

FERRYMONORAILSTREETCARSUBWAYTRAIN

Spangram: PUBLICTRANSPORT

Aug 27, 2024Category ListEasy

Pixar fare

Theme words

EGGPLANTONIONSPEPPERSTOMATOESZUCCHINI

Spangram: RATATOUILLE

Aug 26, 2024SportsEasy

See you on the court

Theme words

FOREHANDLOVERACKETSERVESLICESMASHVOLLEY

Spangram: GRANDSLAM

Aug 25, 2024Category ListMedium

Into the woods

Theme words

BEECHCHESTNUTGINKGOMAPLEPINESYCAMOREWILLOW

Spangram: FOREST

Aug 24, 2024Category ListEasy

Crumby theme

Theme words

ANIMALGOLDFISHOYSTERRICESALTINESODAWATER

Spangram: CRACKERS

Aug 23, 2024Category ListMedium

The nose knows

Theme words

CEDARLAVENDERLEMONMUSKROSESANDALWOOD

Spangram: COMMONSCENTS

Aug 22, 2024Category ListMedium

Smoothie moves

Theme words

CHOPGRINDLIQUEFYPULSEPUREESTIRWHIP

Spangram: BLENDERSETTING

Aug 21, 2024Category ListMedium

One for the ages

Theme words

CAKECANDLESCARDSCELEBRATEGIFTSPARTY

Spangram: HAPPYBIRTHDAY

Aug 20, 2024Category ListEasy

I think we're covered

Theme words

GAITERSGALOSHESHOODPONCHOSLICKERUMBRELLA

Spangram: RAINGEAR

Aug 19, 2024Category ListMedium

Hear me roar!

Theme words

CHEETAHCOUGARJAGUARLEOPARDLIONPANTHERTIGER

Spangram: BIGCAT

Aug 18, 2024Category ListEasy

What do you make of this?

Theme words

BRUSHCANVASCHARCOALEASELMOLDPAINTPALETTE

Spangram: ARTCLASS

Aug 17, 2024Category ListMedium

Carle classic

Theme words

APPLELEAFPICKLESALAMIWATERMELON

Spangram: HUNGRYCATERPILLAR

Aug 16, 2024Category ListEasy

This or that

Theme words

BREAKDOUBLEFAMINEFEASTMAKENOTHINGSINKSWIM

Spangram: OPTIONS

Aug 15, 2024Category ListMedium

Is this some kind of joke?

Theme words

BUFFOONCLOWNCOMICFOOLJESTERPRANKSTER

Spangram: YOUREKIDDING

Aug 14, 2024Category ListMedium

Honey I'm home!

Theme words

BUNGALOWCABINCOLONIALCOTTAGECRAFTSMANRANCH

Spangram: HOUSES

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.