Archive studyCategories, difficulty, clue trendsPage 32 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 931-952 of 952 themes.

Page 32 of 32

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

Mar 15, 2024Category ListMedium

Old haunts

Theme words

GHOSTPHANTOMSHADESPECTERSPIRITWRAITH

Spangram: SUPERNATURAL

Mar 14, 2024Pop CultureMedium

Get animated

Theme words

BUGSCOYOTEDAFFYFOGHORNPORKYROADRUNNER

Spangram: LOONEYTUNES

Mar 13, 2024Category ListMedium

One thousand followers

Theme words

CANYONCENTRALJURYPIANOPRIZERAPIDSSLAM

Spangram: GRANDFINALE

Mar 12, 2024Category ListMedium

Ruler’s decree

Theme words

FATHOMFOOTFURLONGINCHLEAGUEMETERYARD

Spangram: MEASUREMENTS

Mar 11, 2024LanguageMedium

To put it mildly

Theme words

DARNFUDGEGADZOOKSGOLLYHECKJEEPERSSHOOT

Spangram: EUPHEMISMS

Mar 10, 2024Category ListMedium

Sounds good to me

Theme words

GUITARHARPPIANOSAXOPHONETRUMPETVIOLIN

Spangram: INSTRUMENTS

Mar 9, 2024Category ListEasy

FRAGILE: handle with care

Theme words

BREADHEARTMOLDPROMISERECORDSILENCESWEAT

Spangram: BREAKABLE

Mar 8, 2024Category ListEasy

Do the do

Theme words

BEEHIVEBRAIDDREADSMOHAWKPONYTAILTOPKNOT

Spangram: HAIRSTYLE

Mar 7, 2024Category ListMedium

Don’t do it!

Theme words

ENVYGLUTTONYGREEDLUSTPRIDESLOTHWRATH

Spangram: CARDINALSINS

Mar 6, 2024Food & DrinkEasy

I gotta dip!

Theme words

AVOCADOCILANTROGARLICJALAPENOLIMETOMATO

Spangram: GUACAMOLE

Mar 5, 2024Category ListMedium

She’ll have a ball

Theme words

DANCEMIDNIGHTPRINCEPUMPKINSLIPPERSPELL

Spangram: CINDERELLA

Mar 4, 2024LanguageMedium

Mark my words

Theme words

APOSTROPHECOLONCOMMAHYPHENPERIODSLASH

Spangram: PUNCTUATION

Theme category frequency

Category List

881 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

682 puzzles

Easy

241 puzzles

Hard

29 puzzles

Theme-word length distribution

5-letter words

1348 total

6-letter words

1213 total

4-letter words

971 total

7-letter words

962 total

8-letter words

588 total

9-letter words

375 total

10-letter words

208 total

11-letter words

84 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.