Archive studyCategories, difficulty, clue trendsPage 30 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 871-900 of 942 themes.

Page 30 of 32

May 14, 2024Food & DrinkMedium

On board

Theme words

BRIECRACKERFRUITNUTSOLIVESALAMISPREAD

Spangram: CHARCUTERIE

May 13, 2024Category ListEasy

Best in show

Theme words

BEAGLEBOXERCOLLIEHOUNDHUSKYPOODLESHEPHERD

Spangram: DOGPILE

May 12, 2024Category ListMedium

Picture perfect

Theme words

CRASHGLADIATORPARASITEROCKYSPOTLIGHT

Spangram: OSCARWINNERS

May 11, 2024Category ListMedium

It's a date!

Theme words

BOUTONNIERECORSAGECOURTDANCEDRESSTUXEDO

Spangram: PROMNIGHT

May 10, 2024Science & NatureMedium

Like a rocket

Theme words

ENCOUNTERLAUNCHORBITREENTRYSPLASHDOWN

Spangram: SPACEFLIGHT

May 9, 2024Category ListMedium

Tap to play

Theme words

BOULDERCASTLERAMPTUNNELWATERFALLWINDMILL

Spangram: MINIGOLF

May 8, 2024Category ListMedium

Can you digit?

Theme words

BACONBINARYDANCELUCKYSERIALTELEPHONEWHOLE

Spangram: NUMBERS

May 7, 2024Category ListMedium

Can you dig it?

Theme words

ANTIMONYARSENICBISMUTHCOPPERGOLDSILVER

Spangram: HEAVYMETAL

May 6, 2024Category ListMedium

Signed, Sealed, Delivered

Theme words

BILLINVITELETTERMAGAZINEPACKAGEPOSTCARD

Spangram: SNAILMAIL

May 5, 2024Category ListMedium

Tools for the job

Theme words

EDGERGLOVESRAKESHEARSSHOVELTRIMMERTROWEL

Spangram: YARDWORK

May 4, 2024Category ListMedium

The horror

Theme words

HALLOWEENHOSTELPOLTERGEISTPSYCHOSCREAM

Spangram: SCARYMOVIE

May 3, 2024Science & NatureMedium

A shade envious?

Theme words

ARTICHOKEEMERALDFORESTJUNGLEOLIVEPISTACHIO

Spangram: GREENS

May 2, 2024Category ListMedium

What's my line?

Theme words

BUMBLEBEECHIPMUNKCLOWNFISHSKUNKTIGERZEBRA

Spangram: STRIPED

May 1, 2024Category ListMedium

A token of our appreciation

Theme words

IRONPENGUINRACECARSHIPTHIMBLEWHEELBARROW

Spangram: MONOPOLY

Apr 30, 2024Category ListEasy

Pour it on

Theme words

AIOLIKETCHUPMAYOMUSTARDSRIRACHATZATZIKI

Spangram: CONDIMENT

Apr 29, 2024Category ListEasy

Name dropping

Theme words

BRANDYCOMMONJEWELMEATLOAFPINKPRINCESEAL

Spangram: MUSICIANS

Apr 28, 2024Category ListMedium

Coming clean

Theme words

CONDITIONERRAZORSHAMPOOSOAPSPONGEWASHCLOTH

Spangram: SHOWER

Apr 27, 2024Category ListMedium

Call me?

Theme words

ADMIRALDOCTORPROFESSORQUEENREVERENDSENATOR

Spangram: TITLES

Apr 26, 2024Category ListMedium

Staff members

Theme words

CLEFFLATMEASURENATURALRESTSHARPSIGNATURE

Spangram: NOTATION

Apr 25, 2024Category ListEasy

That’s cap!

Theme words

BEANIEBERETBONNETCROWNFEDORAHELMETTURBAN

Spangram: HEADWEAR

Apr 24, 2024Category ListMedium

This is a puzzle

Theme words

CONUNDRUMENIGMAMYSTERYQUANDARYRIDDLE

Spangram: BRAINTEASERS

Apr 23, 2024Food & DrinkMedium

As easy as pie

Theme words

BUTTERFLOURPECANSALTSUGARSYRUPVANILLA

Spangram: INGREDIENTS

Apr 22, 2024Category ListEasy

Character class

Theme words

ASSASSINBARDHUNTERKNIGHTMAGEROGUESORCERER

Spangram: FANTASY

Apr 21, 2024Category ListMedium

That’s life!

Theme words

CRAWLDRIVEGRADUATEMARRYRETIRESPEAKVOTE

Spangram: MILESTONES

Apr 20, 2024Category ListMedium

Walk this way

Theme words

AMBLEMARCHSAUNTERSTROLLSTRUTTREKTRUDGE

Spangram: PEDESTRIAN

Apr 19, 2024Pop CultureEasy

Get to work!

Theme words

COMEDYMUSICNEWSSPORTSTALKTRAFFICWEATHER

Spangram: DRIVETIME

Apr 18, 2024Category ListEasy

Sew what?

Theme words

CLOTHNEEDLEPATCHSEAMSTITCHTHIMBLETHREAD

Spangram: TAILORING

Apr 17, 2024SportsMedium

The long run

Theme words

COURSEGAITNUTRITIONPACESPEEDTRACKTRAINER

Spangram: MARATHON

Apr 16, 2024Category ListMedium

On the grid

Theme words

CABLEELECTRICHEATINTERNETTELEPHONEWATER

Spangram: UTILITIES

Apr 15, 2024Category ListMedium

This and that

Theme words

ERRORGIVEMIRRORSPEACEQUIETSMOKETAKETRIAL

Spangram: PARTNERS

Theme category frequency

Category List

871 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

239 puzzles

Hard

29 puzzles

Theme-word length distribution

5-letter words

1342 total

6-letter words

1202 total

4-letter words

966 total

7-letter words

952 total

8-letter words

577 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.