Archive studyCategories, difficulty, clue trendsPage 31 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 901-930 of 942 themes.

Page 31 of 32

Apr 14, 2024Food & DrinkMedium

Join the club!

Theme words

BACONLETTUCEMAYONNAISEPICKLETOMATOTURKEY

Spangram: SANDWICH

Apr 13, 2024Pop CultureMedium

Group think

Theme words

HEARTJOURNEYNIRVANAOASISPOISONQUEENRUSH

Spangram: ROCKBANDS

Apr 12, 2024WordplayMedium

You can say that again!

Theme words

CANCANCOUSCOUSGOGOMAMAMURMURPOMPOMTUTU

Spangram: REPETITION

Apr 11, 2024Category ListEasy

It’s all in your head

Theme words

DAYDREAMFANTASYFIGMENTILLUSIONREVERIE

Spangram: MAKEBELIEVE

Apr 10, 2024Category ListMedium

In closing

Theme words

ALWAYSBESTCHEERSREGARDSSINCERELYTHANKS

Spangram: SIGNINGOFF

Apr 9, 2024Category ListMedium

Can I have my quarter back?

Theme words

COWBOYDOLPHINPANTHERPATRIOTRAVENTITAN

Spangram: TEAMPLAYERS

Apr 8, 2024Category ListMedium

It goes by fast

Theme words

CENTURYDECADEHOURMINUTEMONTHSECONDWEEK

Spangram: TIMEPIECES

Apr 7, 2024Category ListMedium

This’ll all blow over

Theme words

BALLOONBUBBLEEYELASHFEATHERPAPERSTRAW

Spangram: LIGHTWEIGHT

Apr 6, 2024Category ListMedium

Picture this

Theme words

CAMERAFILTERFLASHLENSLIGHTTIMERTRIPOD

Spangram: PHOTOGRAPHY

Apr 5, 2024Category ListEasy

Am I blushing?

Theme words

BURGUNDYCARDINALCINNAMONSTRAWBERRYTOMATO

Spangram: REDALERT

Apr 4, 2024Food & DrinkMedium

Consumerism

Theme words

BACONBREADCABBAGECHIPSCLAMDOUGHLETTUCE

Spangram: LUNCHMONEY

Apr 3, 2024Pop CultureMedium

Play time!

Theme words

CABARETCAROUSELCATSGREASEHAIRSPRAYWICKED

Spangram: BROADWAY

Apr 2, 2024Category ListMedium

Rolling in the aisles

Theme words

BAKERYDAIRYFROZENMEATSPRODUCESEAFOOD

Spangram: GROCERYSTORE

Apr 1, 2024Category ListEasy

What’s so funny?

Theme words

CHORTLECHUCKLEGUFFAWHOOTLAUGHROARTITTER

Spangram: HILARIOUS

Mar 31, 2024Science & NatureMedium

It’s lit!

Theme words

ANGLERFISHBULBFIREFLYLANTERNNEONSTAR

Spangram: ILLUMINATION

Mar 30, 2024Category ListMedium

Camouflage

Theme words

CHEETAHDALMATIANGIRAFFEHYENALADYBUGLEOPARD

Spangram: SPOTTY

Mar 29, 2024LanguageMedium

Pardon my French!

Theme words

APERITIFBERETBUREAUCHAUFFEURCHICLIAISON

Spangram: LOANWORDS

Mar 28, 2024Category ListMedium

Off the shelf

Theme words

BIOGRAPHYFANTASYFICTIONHUMORMYSTERYROMANCE

Spangram: GENRES

Mar 27, 2024Pop CultureMedium

This is where I draw the line

Theme words

CARTOONCOMICDESIGNDOODLEPORTRAITSKETCH

Spangram: GRAPHICART

Mar 26, 2024Category ListMedium

That’s fantastic!

Theme words

CENTAURCYCLOPSDRAGONFAIRYMERMAIDOGRE

Spangram: MYTHOLOGICAL

Mar 25, 2024Category ListEasy

Sign language

Theme words

ARCHERBULLGOATSCALESSCORPIONTWINSVIRGIN

Spangram: ASTROLOGY

Mar 24, 2024Category ListMedium

Lock steps

Theme words

APPLYCONDITIONLATHERMOISTURIZERINSETOWEL

Spangram: HAIRCARE

Mar 23, 2024Pop CultureMedium

Romeo and Juliet

Theme words

BALCONYFEUDKISSLOVEPOISONTRAGEDYTRYST

Spangram: STARCROSSED

Mar 22, 2024WordplayHard

Animal sounds

Theme words

CHORALDEARGRISLYHOARSEMOUSSEMUSCLEWAIL

Spangram: HOMOPHONES

Mar 21, 2024Category ListMedium

What’s the issue?

Theme words

HIGHLIGHTSPEOPLESEVENTEENTIMEVOGUEWIRED

Spangram: MAGAZINES

Mar 20, 2024WordplayHard

Back and forth

Theme words

CIVICKAYAKLEVELMADAMNOONRACECARROTATOR

Spangram: PALINDROME

Mar 19, 2024Category ListMedium

That’s fortunate

Theme words

HORSESHOELADYBUGPENNYSHAMROCKWISHBONE

Spangram: LUCKYCHARMS

Mar 18, 2024Science & NatureEasy

World piece

Theme words

DESERTFORESTMARSHMOUNTAINPLAINSWAMPTUNDRA

Spangram: TERRAIN

Mar 17, 2024Science & NatureEasy

Outside interests

Theme words

BLIZZARDHAILRAINSNOWSTORMSUNSHINETORNADO

Spangram: FORECAST

Mar 16, 2024Category ListMedium

Grow up!

Theme words

ADULTBABYFOALFROGHORSELAMBSHEEPTADPOLE

Spangram: PARENTHOOD

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.