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what is nyt games strands
what is nyt games strands
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Life > Experiences

A Hot New Game Has Entered The NYT Games App

Eliza Disbrow

Alright, raise your hand if you start your day with Wordle. Better yet, who decides they can’t wait for the next day and knocks it out the second a new game appears when the clock strikes midnight? It seems in recent years, finding those daily words has become something like a ritual for many. It keeps your brain active and gives you a sense of accomplishment, especially seeing as the success streak keeps growing. 

Or how about Connections, which captured the attention of many when it was released on June 12, 2023? (Happy belated one-year birthday, Connections!) Finding those sometimes incredibly aggravating connections is like getting an A-plus in your hardest class…

For many, The New York Times goes way beyond breaking news and controversial opinion pieces; it continues to differentiate itself with its NYT Games offerings, now held on an app with the same name, which recently got a makeover. The app launched in 2009 with the classic Crossword but has exploded in popularity and content, most likely thanks to more than 10 million people downloading it in 2023 alone.

But maybe that’s not enough. Maybe you’ve blown through Spelling Bee and Tiles and crave something new. Well, you’re in luck, because starting this week, users will be able to play Strands in the NYT Games app, too. 

strands nyt games
Courtesy of The New York Times

What Is Strands?

According to a press release announcing the new game, the “objective of Strands is to find theme words that all have something in common, and a spangram that describes what they have in common.” Think of a word search… but harder… but also still very fun! An example would be if the theme was “Food” and the words were “Apple,” “Banana,” “Orange,” and “Pear.” The spanagram, in this case, would probably be “Fruit.”

NYT Games has also been so generous as to bestow upon the confused masses (me, I’m the confused masses) a “hint” function. This way, if you click around and create three words and none are a part of the theme, you earn a hint for one of the themed words.

How To Start Playing Strands

The beta launch of Strands opened in March 2024, meaning many people have already been playing the game for months now, and it’s already developed a large, dedicated following, making Strands the “third most searched game, behind Wordle and Connections,” according to the NYT’s press release, with around “83% of Strands players finding the Spangram each day.” 

For those ready to try something new and for those who already love it, Strands is on the NYT Games app, which is available on iOS and Android.

Eliza Disbrow

Washington '26

Eliza Disbrow is a junior at the University of Washington, majoring in European Studies with a double minor in Spanish and business. Eliza is a writer for both the University of Washington chapter and for National HerCampus, covering a variety of topics, from music, books, politics, to anime. Beyond Her Campus, Eliza serves as the co-president of the University of Washington Euro Club. In her free time, Eliza can be seen taking in the sights of Seattle on any of the available forms of public transportation, normally with a book in hand and headphones in her ears. She plays guitar and bass, mainly as an excuse to play either Fall Out Boy or Ghost to family and friends. Additionally, she is perhaps the number-one super fan of "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver," somehow able to quote or recall episodes ranging from the most recent release or from three years ago.