Archive studyCategories, difficulty, clue trendsPage 29 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 841-870 of 943 themes.

Page 29 of 32

Jun 14, 2024Category ListEasy

Take a load off!

Theme words

ARMCHAIRCHAISECOUCHDIVANRECLINERSOFASTOOL

Spangram: SEATING

Jun 13, 2024Category ListMedium

Good times ahead

Theme words

ANIMALBOATCRASHERFAVORFOULHEARTYPOOPER

Spangram: AFTERPARTY

Jun 12, 2024Food & DrinkMedium

By the dozen

Theme words

CAKECIDERFROSTEDGLAZEDHOLEJELLYPOWDERED

Spangram: DOUGHNUTS

Jun 11, 2024Category ListEasy

Hold up...

Theme words

BOOSTELEVATEEXALTHOISTLEVITATELIFTSUPPORT

Spangram: ALLRISE

Jun 10, 2024Category ListEasy

Print edition

Theme words

ARTICLEBYLINECAPTIONCOLUMNFOLDFOLIOPAGE

Spangram: NEWSPAPER

Jun 9, 2024Science & NatureMedium

Way to grow!

Theme words

EARTHLOVEPROTECTIONSEEDSSPACESUNLIGHTWATER

Spangram: GARDEN

Jun 8, 2024Category ListMedium

Beat the heat

Theme words

BEACHCAMPCARNIVALHOPSCOTCHLEMONADEPOPSICLE

Spangram: SUMMER

Jun 7, 2024Category ListMedium

Sorority signs

Theme words

ALPHABETADELTAEPSILONGAMMAKAPPASIGMA

Spangram: GREEKLETTERS

Jun 6, 2024Science & NatureMedium

Tidal treasures

Theme words

BOTTLEDRIFTWOODFOSSILGLASSSHELLSTONE

Spangram: BEACHCOMBING

Jun 5, 2024Category ListMedium

They're good people

Theme words

FAITHFELICITYGRACEHOPEJUSTICEPRUDENCE

Spangram: VIRTUENAMES

Jun 4, 2024Category ListMedium

Purposeful pairs

Theme words

CONQUERDIVIDEFORGETFORGIVELEARNWATCH

Spangram: USEFULADVICE

Jun 3, 2024Category ListMedium

Better with age

Theme words

KEFIRKIMCHIKOMBUCHAMISOSAUERKRAUTYOGURT

Spangram: FERMENTED

Jun 2, 2024Category ListMedium

Nailed it!

Theme words

BASEBUFFCLEANSECOLORFILEMOISTURIZETOPPER

Spangram: MANICURE

Jun 1, 2024Category ListEasy

Start the day right

Theme words

BACONEGGSHASHOATMEALQUICHESAUSAGEWAFFLE

Spangram: BREAKFAST

May 31, 2024Category ListMedium

On the yellow brick road

Theme words

POPPIESRAINBOWSCARECROWTWISTERWIZARD

Spangram: RUBYSLIPPERS

May 30, 2024Category ListEasy

Pump it up!

Theme words

BLOCKCHUNKYCONECUBANKITTENSTILETTOWEDGE

Spangram: HIGHHEELS

May 29, 2024Category ListMedium

A good workout

Theme words

BIKECABLESELLIPTICALROWERTREADMILLWEIGHTS

Spangram: FITNESS

May 28, 2024Category ListEasy

All atwitter

Theme words

CHIRPCLUCKSCREECHTRILLTWEETWARBLEWHISTLE

Spangram: BIRDSONG

May 27, 2024Category ListMedium

Noodle on this one

Theme words

BOWTIEELBOWRIBBONSHELLSPIRALTUBEWHEEL

Spangram: PASTASHAPES

May 26, 2024Category ListMedium

Beyond Nashville

Theme words

BROOKSCASHHILLPAISLEYSWIFTTWAINURBAN

Spangram: COUNTRYSTARS

May 25, 2024WordplayHard

Sounds delicious!

Theme words

CHILLYLEAKMEETMOOSEPAIRSERIALSTAKETIME

Spangram: HOMOPHONES

May 24, 2024Food & DrinkMedium

Raise a glass

Theme words

DAIQUIRIGIMLETMARGARITAMOJITOSOURSPRITZ

Spangram: COCKTAILS

May 23, 2024Pop CultureMedium

No dice!

Theme words

CELEBRITYCHARADESMAFIATELEPHONETWISTER

Spangram: PARTYGAMES

May 22, 2024Category ListMedium

Home grown

Theme words

BASILCORIANDERPARSLEYROSEMARYSAGETHYME

Spangram: HERBGARDEN

May 21, 2024Category ListMedium

At the bar

Theme words

EDITFAVORITESFILEHELPHISTORYTOOLSWINDOW

Spangram: MENUITEMS

May 20, 2024Category ListMedium

Fowl fairy tale

Theme words

BEAUTIFULJOURNEYMISFITREFLECTIONSWAN

Spangram: UGLYDUCKLING

May 19, 2024Category ListHard

✨🔥🌹💀🤩👀💐

Theme words

BOUQUETEYESFIREROSESKULLSPARKLESSTARSTRUCK

Spangram: EMOJIS

May 18, 2024Category ListMedium

Part of the equation

Theme words

CALCULATEDERIVEDIVIDEMULTIPLYSUBTRACT

Spangram: MATHEMATICS

May 17, 2024Category ListMedium

Looking for a mate

Theme words

BOOKENDCHOPSTICKEARPLUGMITTENPLIERTONGWING

Spangram: PAIRED

May 16, 2024Category ListEasy

Tasty!

Theme words

BITTERPIQUANTSALTYSOURSPICYSWEETTARTUMAMI

Spangram: FLAVORS

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.