The New York Times’ Strands puzzle is a fresh twist on the classic word search. Available on the NYT website and the NYT Strands spangram Games app, it joins popular games like Wordle and Connections. If you’re new to Strands or need help with the March 1 puzzle, this guide has you covered.
How to Play NYT Strands
Strands presents a 6×8 grid of letters. Your goal is to find words sharing a common theme. A clue hints at the theme, and when you find a theme word, it highlights in blue.
You must also locate a special word called a spangram. This word connects at least two sides of the grid and reveals the overarching theme. Unlike theme words, the spangram can be a proper name and highlights in yellow.
Every letter is used once in either a theme word or the spangram. You can connect letters vertically, horizontally, or diagonally, and switch directions mid-word. On touchscreens, double-tap the last letter to submit your guess.
Strands keeps you on your toes. Some puzzles require filling in missing words in a phrase, while others focus on synonyms or homophones. Difficulty varies daily, so expect surprises!
Today’s Strands Hint (March 1)
Here’s the official theme hint for March 1:
“Let us prey”
Need more help? Here’s an additional hint:
“Rarely the hunted”
You’ll need to uncover six theme words, with the spangram included among them..
Today’s NYT Strands Hints
Spoiler alert! Stop scrolling if you’re not ready for hints.
Here are the first two letters of each theme word, ordered from left to right and top to bottom:
- TY
- AP
- CR
- HU
- LI
- OR
Today’s NYT Strands Answers
Final spoiler warning!
The spangram for March 1 is:
APEX PREDATOR
Here’s where it appears on the grid:
[Insert grid image or description]
Today’s theme words are:
- TYRANNOSAURUS
- APEX PREDATOR
- CROCODILE
- HUMAN
- LION
- ORCA
Here’s a visual of the completed grid for today’s Strands puzzle::
My Experience Solving the Puzzle
I started strong by spotting “tyrannosaur” in the top left, but it wasn’t a theme word. After finding “LION” at the bottom, the “x” caught my eye, leading me to the spangram early.
Next, I found “CROCODILE” and “TYRANNOSAURUS” (a fun challenge!). “ORCA” and “HUMAN” wrapped things up. Today’s puzzle was a blast, and I didn’t need any hints. The spangram was the second theme word I discovered.
Why Play NYT Strands?
Strands is a fun, brain-teasing game that tests your vocabulary and pattern recognition. With daily puzzles and varying difficulty, it’s perfect for word game enthusiasts.
Ready to try Strands? Head to the NYT Strands spangram Games app or website and start solving today’s puzzle!
