The author discusses their experience playing the new online game “Strands” by The New York Times after being intrigued by a friend’s scores on Facebook. Despite not wanting to add another daily online game addiction, the author found themselves drawn to Strands. The game involves finding words hidden in a word-search grid that relate to a specific theme. Players must click on the first letter of a word and drag their mouse to each subsequent letter in order, with words needing to be four letters or longer. Finding theme words will light them up in blue, while finding unrelated words will earn hints towards unveiling the theme words.
Tips for playing and winning at Strands are provided, including using the theme as a clue to finding the spangram word that connects to the puzzle’s theme. The author advises players to focus on finding the spangram first, as it can touch opposite sides of the board and provide a valuable clue. Using hints effectively is also recommended, as players can earn hints by finding non-theme words that are four letters or longer. Additionally, the author discusses a Wordle cheat sheet ranking the most-popular letters used in English words that can help players in solving the puzzle.
A spoiler is provided for the May 8 Strands game, where the theme was “Can you digit?” based on numbers. The spangram word was “numbers,” with other words in the puzzle pertaining to numbers such as “whole number,” “binary number,” and “serial number.” The author reflects on the connections made between words like “dance” and “number,” as well as the more obscure “bacon number” relating to the Kevin Bacon game. The author humorously shares a personal connection to Kevin Bacon through meeting his wife, Kyra Sedgwick, on the set of her show “The Closer.”
Overall, the author shares their insights and experiences playing Strands, offering tips for success in finding theme words and utilizing hints effectively. The game’s unique twist on word search puzzles, with a focus on themes and spangram words, adds an element of challenge and excitement for players. The author’s humor and personal anecdotes add a light-hearted touch to their exploration of the game and its daily puzzles. Despite initially resisting another daily online game addiction, the author finds themselves hooked on Strands and enjoying the challenge it offers.
