Archive studyCategories, difficulty, clue trendsPage 4 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 91-120 of 943 themes.

Page 4 of 32

Jul 4, 2026Category ListMedium

Ooh!

Theme words

BRIGHTCOLORFULDAZZLINGEXCITINGSPARKLING

Spangram: FIREWORKS

Jul 3, 2026Category ListMedium

It's like talking to a brick wall

Theme words

FIRMHEADSTRONGOBSTINATESTUBBORNWILLFUL

Spangram: NOTBUDGING

Jul 2, 2026Category ListEasy

Added flavor

Theme words

BECHAMELMARINARASRIRACHATERIYAKITZATZIKI

Spangram: GETSAUCY

Jul 1, 2026Category ListMedium

Not a red herring

Theme words

CLUEEVIDENCEHINTINDICATIONINTIMATION

Spangram: TELLTALESIGN

Jun 30, 2026Category ListMedium

"And ... action!"

Theme words

CASTCREWDIRECTOREDITORPRODUCERWRITER

Spangram: THATSSHOWBIZ

Jun 29, 2026Category ListMedium

The mark of a good composer

Theme words

ACCIDENTALBRACKETCLEFMEASURENOTEREST

Spangram: MUSICALSTAFF

Jun 28, 2026Category ListMedium

March in June

Theme words

CELEBRATIONDRAGFLAGSPARADERAINBOWRALLY

Spangram: PRIDEMONTH

Jun 27, 2026Category ListMedium

Suite re-lease

Theme words

CONDOEFFICIENCYFLATLOFTPENTHOUSESTUDIO

Spangram: APARTMENTS

Jun 26, 2026Category ListMedium

"I'll gobble you up!"

Theme words

BRIDGEBROTHERSHORNSPASSTHREETROLL

Spangram: BILLYGOATSGRUFF

Jun 25, 2026Category ListMedium

Just relax

Theme words

ACUPUNCTUREAROMATHERAPYFACIALMASSAGE

Spangram: SPATREATMENT

Jun 24, 2026Category ListMedium

Just chill

Theme words

BEERJUICEKOMBUCHASELTZERSODAWATER

Spangram: BEVERAGECOOLERS

Jun 23, 2026Category ListEasy

A whole new world

Theme words

ARMORBLOCKBUILDINGFOODPORTALSTORAGETOOL

Spangram: MINECRAFT

Jun 22, 2026Category ListMedium

Heebie-jeebies

Theme words

BUTTERFLIESCREEPSJITTERSSHIVERSWILLIES

Spangram: GOOSEBUMPS

Jun 21, 2026Category ListMedium

That's included!

Theme words

BREAKFASTFRIDGEINTERNETLAUNDRYSAFE

Spangram: HOTELAMENITIES

Jun 20, 2026Category ListMedium

Knicks knack

Theme words

CHANTCOURTSIDEJUMBOTRONMARQUEERAFTERS

Spangram: GARDENPARTY

Jun 19, 2026SportsEasy

Look to the West

Theme words

BANDANABOOTSCHAPSJEANSSADDLESPURSSTETSON

Spangram: COWPOKES

Jun 18, 2026Category ListEasy

Beneath the waves

Theme words

ALGAECRABFISHPLANKTONSEAWEEDSHARKURCHIN

Spangram: CORALREEF

Jun 17, 2026Category ListEasy

In the barnyard

Theme words

BUCKETPITCHFORKSAWHORSETRACTORWHEELBARROW

Spangram: FARMING

Jun 16, 2026Food & DrinkMedium

For here or to go?

Theme words

GYRORAMENSALADSANDWICHSOUPTACOSWRAP

Spangram: WHATSFORLUNCH

Jun 15, 2026Category ListEasy

Moving mountains

Theme words

CONQUEROVERCOMEQUASHSURMOUNTVANQUISH

Spangram: YOUVEGOTTHIS

Jun 14, 2026Category ListEasy

Peer group

Theme words

BARONDUCHESSEARLLADYLORDMARQUESSVISCOUNT

Spangram: NOBILITY

Jun 13, 2026Pop CultureMedium

Track event

Theme words

LOUDSPEAKERLYRICSMICROPHONEMUSICQUEUESONG

Spangram: KARAOKE

Jun 12, 2026Category ListMedium

Something to talk about

Theme words

BODYCONCLUSIONHOOKPOINTPROBLEMTOPIC

Spangram: PARTSOFSPEECH

Jun 11, 2026Category ListEasy

Oozing

Theme words

BLUESBREWSCHOOSECRUISEFUSESCHMOOZESHOES

Spangram: RHYMETIME

Jun 10, 2026Category ListMedium

Something just clicked

Theme words

APPLICATIONDOCUMENTFILEPHOTOSOFTWARESONG

Spangram: DOWNLOAD

Jun 9, 2026Food & DrinkMedium

Dramamine, anyone?

Theme words

DANCINGDECKDRINKSSEASICKNESSSNACKSWAVES

Spangram: IMONABOAT

Jun 8, 2026Category ListEasy

Play time

Theme words

BOARDSCARDSCHIPSDICESPINNERSTILESTOKENS

Spangram: GAMENIGHT

Jun 7, 2026Category ListMedium

Herpetology 101

Theme words

BULLFROGCHAMELEONCROCODILESNAKETURTLE

Spangram: COLDBLOODED

Jun 6, 2026Category ListMedium

With this ring ...

Theme words

MARRIAGEMATRIMONYNUPTIALSVOWSWEDLOCK

Spangram: TYINGTHEKNOT

Jun 5, 2026Category ListEasy

You wanna go?

Theme words

BRAWLCLASHMELEESCRAPSCUFFLESKIRMISH

Spangram: FIGHTINGWORDS

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.