Archive studyCategories, difficulty, clue trendsPage 28 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 811-840 of 943 themes.

Page 28 of 32

Jul 14, 2024WordplayHard

Say my name

Theme words

ATOMFILLGALEHAIRYMERRYPEATRUSTLEWHINNY

Spangram: HOMOPHONES

Jul 13, 2024Category ListMedium

Hello kitty

Theme words

BLACKCALICOORANGETABBYTORTOISESHELLTUXEDO

Spangram: FURCOAT

Jul 12, 2024Category ListMedium

Auto suggestion

Theme words

ACCORDCHARGEREQUINOXEXPLOREROUTBACKSOUL

Spangram: CARMODELS

Jul 11, 2024Food & DrinkMedium

Loaded lunch

Theme words

BACONBROCCOLIBUTTERCHEDDARCHILICHIVES

Spangram: BAKEDPOTATO

Jul 10, 2024Category ListMedium

In Neverland

Theme words

CROCODILEDARLINGHOOKLAGOONMERMAIDPIRATES

Spangram: PETERPAN

Jul 9, 2024Category ListEasy

Now on exhibit

Theme words

COLLAGELITHOGRAPHMURALPAINTINGSCULPTURE

Spangram: ARTMUSEUM

Jul 8, 2024Category ListMedium

Rise and shine

Theme words

BREAKFASTDRESSSHOWERSNOOZEWAKEWORK

Spangram: MORNINGROUTINE

Jul 7, 2024Category ListEasy

Not just black and white

Theme words

CHARCOALFLINTGRAPHITEPLATINUMSLATESTEEL

Spangram: GRAYSCALE

Jul 6, 2024Category ListEasy

By the yard

Theme words

BIRDBATHFLAMINGOGNOMEPLANTERWINDSOCK

Spangram: LAWNORNAMENT

Jul 5, 2024LanguageMedium

Say something

Theme words

DECLAREEXPRESSSIGNSPEAKTALKTELLUTTER

Spangram: ARTICULATION

Jul 4, 2024Category ListMedium

Nation celebration

Theme words

FIREWORKSFLAGPARADEPICNICSPARKLER

Spangram: INDEPENDENCEDAY

Jul 3, 2024Category ListMedium

Spin your wheels

Theme words

BRAKECHAINFENDERFRAMEKICKSTANDPEDALSADDLE

Spangram: BICYCLE

Jul 2, 2024Category ListEasy

Heat and eat

Theme words

BLANCHBRAISEDEGLAZEFLAMBEPOACHSIMMERSTEAM

Spangram: COOKING

Jul 1, 2024Category ListMedium

We've got the beat

Theme words

CYMBALDRUMGONGRATTLETAMBOURINETRIANGLE

Spangram: PERCUSSION

Jun 30, 2024Category ListMedium

Cut and color

Theme words

AMETHYSTEMERALDGARNETRUBYSAPPHIRETOPAZ

Spangram: JEWELTONES

Jun 29, 2024Science & NatureMedium

It's way over your head

Theme words

ASTEROIDCOMETGALAXYMOONPLANETSATELLITE

Spangram: OUTERSPACE

Jun 28, 2024Category ListMedium

That's my jam!

Theme words

BLUESCOUNTRYDISCOFOLKJAZZROCKSALSASOUL

Spangram: MUSICGENRE

Jun 27, 2024Food & DrinkMedium

Better together

Theme words

BISCUITSBURGERCHEESEFRIESGRAVYMACARONI

Spangram: COMBOMEALS

Jun 26, 2024Category ListMedium

Looking good

Theme words

CHICDAPPERDRIPPYPOSHSNAZZYSPIFFYSWANK

Spangram: FASHIONISTA

Jun 25, 2024Category ListEasy

Frame game

Theme words

ALLEYGUTTERLANEPINSSPARESPLITSTRIKETURKEY

Spangram: BOWLING

Jun 24, 2024Category ListEasy

Fine print

Theme words

ARGYLECHEVRONGINGHAMPAISLEYSTRIPESTARTAN

Spangram: PATTERNS

Jun 23, 2024Category ListEasy

Fine diners

Theme words

CHECKERSCHILISOUTBACKSIZZLERSONICSUBWAY

Spangram: CHAINLINK

Jun 22, 2024Category ListEasy

I love the nightlife

Theme words

AARDVARKCOYOTELEOPARDOPOSSUMSKUNKWOMBAT

Spangram: NOCTURNAL

Jun 21, 2024Category ListMedium

We do

Theme words

BOUQUETCAKEDANCEFAMILYFRIENDSKISSRINGVOWS

Spangram: WEDDING

Jun 20, 2024Pop CultureMedium

They're good for a laugh

Theme words

BEWITCHEDCHEERSCOMMUNITYFRIENDSSCRUBSVEEP

Spangram: SITCOMS

Jun 19, 2024Category ListEasy

Home work helpers

Theme words

KEYBOARDMONITORMOUSEPRINTERSPEAKERSWEBCAM

Spangram: DESKTOP

Jun 18, 2024Category ListEasy

It’s right under your nose!

Theme words

HANDLEBARHORSESHOEPENCILTOOTHBRUSHWALRUS

Spangram: MUSTACHE

Jun 17, 2024Category ListMedium

Picking up the pieces

Theme words

BATTLESHIPCLUEMONOPOLYRISKSORRYTROUBLE

Spangram: BOARDGAMES

Jun 16, 2024Category ListMedium

It’s in the bag

Theme words

CHAICHAMOMILEGUNPOWDERJASMINEMATCHAOOLONG

Spangram: TEATIME

Jun 15, 2024Category ListMedium

Deep dive

Theme words

CLAMCORALLOBSTEROCTOPUSSHARKSQUIDWHALE

Spangram: MARINELIFE

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.