Strands is a new word game from The New York Times that is currently in beta testing. It is similar to Wordle and Connections but has its own unique features. The game involves finding words within a grid of letters without a list of words provided. The June 12 Strands puzzle has a theme of “By The Dozen” and players need to find themed words related to this topic. In order to unlock hints for the theme words, players must find three words of four letters or more within the grid.
The theme words for the June 12 Strands puzzle include CAKE, HOLE, CIDER, JELLY, POWDERED, GLAZED, and FROSTED. The goal of the puzzle is to find eight themed answers, including a special theme word called a spangram that spans the entire puzzle. Once all eight themed words are found, every letter on the board will be used. The spangram for the June 12 puzzle is DOUGHNUTS, tying into the theme of “By The Dozen.”
To play Strands, players must use the theme of the day to look for words related to that topic within the grid of letters. When a theme word is found, players can click or drag the letters in order and double-click on the last letter to submit their guess. Other words found within the grid are considered hint words that give clues to the theme words. By finding three hint words with at least four letters each, players can unlock a theme word.
In addition to finding themed words, players must also hunt for the spangram, a special theme word that spans the entire puzzle. The spangram could flow across the puzzle or from top to bottom. Once all theme words and the spangram have been identified, every letter on the board will be used in either a theme word or the spangram. Strands is an engaging and challenging word game that requires players to think creatively and strategically to uncover all the themed words within the grid.
