The New York Times daily puzzle, Strands, challenges players to identify hidden words within a grid, all connected by a common theme. Today’s puzzle (#698, January 30) proved particularly difficult for some, with a theme that requires strategic letter connections.
Understanding the Game
Strands tasks players with discovering words of four or more letters hidden within a letter grid. The key is to locate the overarching theme connecting all the words. The game provides hints as you uncover words; finding three qualifying words reveals one of the theme-related terms.
Hints for Today’s Puzzle
The core theme of today’s Strands puzzle is navigation. The clues: “We’re not lost” and “Navigate a path” should guide players toward related vocabulary.
Useful Words to Start With
To unlock in-game hints, begin by finding common words within the grid. The following letters can be useful in finding early words:
- CENT
- FLAIR
- RAIN
- RAINS
- PART
- MART
- TARS
- PAWS
Today’s Solutions
The non-spangram answers for today’s puzzle are:
- STAR
- ATLAS
- BEACON
- COMPASS
- SEXTANT
- LANDMARK
The spangram, the longest theme word that stretches across the grid, is FINDYOUR WAY. It begins at the ‘F’ in the top row, five letters to the right, and winds downwards and across the board.
Strands requires patience and strategic letter combination. The game tests both vocabulary and pattern recognition skills.
