On March 4, a new game called “Strands” was released on the New York Times website, and as a self-proclaimed New York Times games connoisseur, I couldn’t resist giving it a try. Instead of reaching for my usual “Wordle” or “Connections,” I now eagerly play “Strands” first, and it’s safe to say this game has my seal of approval.
Letters are scattered across the screen in a six by eight grid, and the objective is to find words that relate to the day’s theme. There are six themed words highlighted in blue, and a spangram is highlighted in yellow. The spangram links two opposite sides of the grid, and every letter is used once in one of the theme words or in the spangram. By finding other words that are not part of the theme, you can get hints.
Some players, like senior Mia Kennedy, report moments of frustration bordering on existential crisis: “I was confused at first, and it took me a solid 20 minutes to complete the first game. I do enjoy playing it now as a part of my daily NYT ritual, but it is a more confusing game compared to the words or connections. You need to spend time playing it to fully understand it.”
Other players like me find this game to be challenging yet enjoyable. Siena Lopez ‘24 added, “I enjoy this new game. It is more on the difficult side, but it helps me warm up for my day at school.” The topics get progressively more difficult as the week goes by, with Monday being the most straightforward and Saturday being the most challenging.
Whether you’re a seasoned New York Times gamer, a newbie, or somewhere in between, this game offers a challenging experience worth exploring, even if it occasionally leaves you in knots.
