Archive studyCategories, difficulty, clue trendsPage 8 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 211-240 of 943 themes.

Page 8 of 32

Mar 6, 2026Category ListMedium

That's dedication

Theme words

DEVOTEEENTHUSIASTFOLLOWERLOVERSTAN

Spangram: YOURBIGGESTFAN

Mar 5, 2026Category ListMedium

That's it?

Theme words

MEAGERNEGLIGIBLEPALTRYPIDDLINGPUNYSCANT

Spangram: GEETHANKS

Mar 4, 2026Food & DrinkMedium

Piece of cake

Theme words

CANDLESCOCOAFLOURFROSTINGSUGARVANILLA

Spangram: BAKINGAISLE

Mar 3, 2026Category ListMedium

Everything's in place

Theme words

CLEANIMMACULATENEATORDERLYSHIPSHAPETIDY

Spangram: SPRUCEDUP

Mar 2, 2026Category ListEasy

Home office alternative

Theme words

BOOTHSDESKSLOUNGEPANTRYPRINTERWIFI

Spangram: COWORKINGSPACE

Mar 1, 2026Category ListMedium

Dressing down

Theme words

ADMONISHCASTIGATEREPRIMANDSCOLDUPBRAID

Spangram: THERIOTACT

Feb 28, 2026Category ListMedium

Dressing up

Theme words

CUFFLINKSDIAMONDSGOWNHEELSNECKTIETUXEDO

Spangram: GLAMOROUS

Feb 27, 2026Category ListMedium

It's a little much

Theme words

EXCESSGLUTOVERKILLREDUNDANCYSURPLUS

Spangram: ENOUGHALREADY

Feb 26, 2026Category ListMedium

Watch the attitude!

Theme words

CHEEKYCUTEFRESHIMPUDENTPERTSASSYSAUCY

Spangram: TALKINGBACK

Feb 25, 2026Category ListMedium

That's really out there!

Theme words

LANDERMODULEORBITERPROBEROVERSATELLITE

Spangram: SPACECRAFT

Feb 24, 2026Category ListEasy

Just for reference

Theme words

DICTIONARYDIRECTORYENCYCLOPEDIATHESAURUS

Spangram: LOOKITUP

Feb 23, 2026Category ListMedium

Strike a chord

Theme words

BODYBRIDGEFRETBOARDHEADSTOCKNECKPEGSSTRING

Spangram: GUITAR

Feb 22, 2026SportsEasy

Olympics wrap-up

Theme words

ANTHEMATHLETEFLAGFLAMEMEDALPARADE

Spangram: CLOSINGCEREMONY

Feb 21, 2026Category ListEasy

The beer necessities

Theme words

BARLEYFLAVORHOPSMALTSUGARWATERWHEATYEAST

Spangram: HOMEBREW

Feb 20, 2026Category ListEasy

True grit

Theme words

ABRASIVECOARSEHARSHPRICKLYROUGHSCRATCHY

Spangram: SANDPAPER

Feb 19, 2026Category ListMedium

Here's a thought

Theme words

CONCEPTHYPOTHESISIDEANOTIONPOSTULATETHEORY

Spangram: EUREKA

Feb 18, 2026Category ListMedium

Cold competition

Theme words

BOBSLEDCURLINGHOCKEYLUGESNOWBOARDING

Spangram: WINTERSPORTS

Feb 17, 2026Category ListMedium

The year of the ...

Theme words

DRAGONGOATHORSEMONKEYRABBITSNAKETIGER

Spangram: ZODIACSIGNS

Feb 16, 2026Category ListHard

The cutting edge

Theme words

COMBOCROSSOVERJUMPLIFTLOOPSPINTHROW

Spangram: FIGURESKATING

Feb 15, 2026Category ListMedium

"Now I get it!"

Theme words

APPREHENDFATHOMGRASPREALIZEUNDERSTAND

Spangram: SEETHELIGHT

Feb 14, 2026Category ListEasy

XOXOXO

Theme words

CUDDLEEMBRACEPECKSMACKSMOOCHSNUGGLE

Spangram: HUGSANDKISSES

Feb 13, 2026Category ListMedium

See what I mean?

Theme words

CHARTDIAGRAMINFOGRAPHICMODELPHOTOVIDEO

Spangram: VISUALAIDS

Feb 12, 2026Category ListMedium

Sink or swim

Theme words

CRITICALDECISIVEIMPERATIVEPIVOTALRISKY

Spangram: HIGHSTAKES

Feb 11, 2026Category ListMedium

Crack and snack

Theme words

ALMONDCASHEWFILBERTMACADAMIAPECANPISTACHIO

Spangram: GONUTS

Feb 10, 2026Category ListMedium

It's on the house

Theme words

BRICKCOMPOSITESTONESTUCCOVINYLWOOD

Spangram: SIDINGMATERIAL

Feb 9, 2026Category ListEasy

Frequent flyer

Theme words

LUGGAGEPASSPORTPILOTRUNWAYSECURITYTARMAC

Spangram: AIRPORTS

Feb 8, 2026Category ListEasy

Make it fancy

Theme words

CELERYCHERRYOLIVESHRIMPSPRIGTWIST

Spangram: COCKTAILGARNISH

Feb 7, 2026Category ListEasy

Boo-o-o-o-ring

Theme words

DREARYDULLHUMDRUMMUNDANETIRESOME

Spangram: WATCHINGPAINTDRY

Feb 6, 2026Category ListEasy

Let's face it

Theme words

BROWSCHEEKSEYESFOREHEADHAIRLINEMOUTHNOSE

Spangram: FEATURES

Feb 5, 2026Category ListMedium

Quint-essential

Theme words

BOROUGHSOCEANSSENSESTOESVOWELSWEEKDAYS

Spangram: GIVEMEFIVE

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.