Hint for the Spangram in Today’s Strands

The name of a hugely popular reality series presented by Jeff Probst. (The puzzle’s theme relates to something he frequently mentions during the show.)

Hint for the Theme Words in Today’s Strands

Events and items typically connected with the series.

WARNING: Spoilers Ahead for Today’s Strands Puzzle!

The answers to today’s Strands puzzle are about to be revealed.

What is the Spangram in Today’s Strands?

Today’s spangram is SURVIVOR.

What Are the Theme Words in Today’s Strands?

The theme words for today are: IMMUNITY, ALLIANCE, CHALLENGE, JURY, MERGE, REWARD.

Below is how the puzzle board appears once solved:

Credit: Strands/NYT

Puzzle-Solving Insights

The theme of today’s puzzle is quite obscure but likely references a movie or similar content that remains unrecognized. Numerous non-theme words are evident (SURGERY, WORLDLY, WORLD, MITE, VIAL, etc.), but none seem relevant at first.

A search for the puzzle’s theme reveals its connection to Survivor. The experience includes concepts like getting one’s torch snuffed, leaving the tent, etc. (Indeed, it’s not among the shows that frequently watch).

Identifying the spangram: SURVIVOR. 🟡

The term CHALLENGE appears at the lower edges of the puzzle. 🔵 Examining further reveals aspects associated with the series, such as voting and alliances.

The word JURY is located on the left edge. 🔵

IMMUNITY is nestled in the upper left corner. 🔵

In the upper right corner, ALLIANCE makes its presence known. 🔵

AGREE is spotted, but it fails to meet the criteria.

However, MERGE is indeed valid! 🔵 This term represents a pivotal aspect of the show when tribes become one.

Lastly, REWARD is successfully identified. 🔵

Strands #360
    "Fire represents your life"
    🟡🔵🔵🔵
    🔵🔵🔵

Guide to Playing Strands

Strands can be accessed via the New York Times website and the NYT Games app.

The gameplay begins with a board showcasing an array of letters, alongside a clue that hints at the overarching theme—a phrase like “Better with age.” Your task is to uncover the hidden words within the board that reflect this theme.

A Cross between a Crossword and Word Search

The central word to seek is the “spangram,” which directly articulates the puzzle’s theme. (For instance, the spangram for a theme like “Better with age” is FERMENTED, as it alludes to items that improve over time.) This spangram will extend wholly across the game board, either horizontally or vertically. Finding it typically simplifies the completion of the rest of the puzzle.

In Strands, words can appear in any direction (upward, downward, left, right, diagonal), with each letter being utilized just once. There exists only one valid solution for each puzzle. When a word is correctly identified (for instance, KOMBUCHA, MISO, or KIMCHI), it will be highlighted in blue.

For those encountering difficulties, submitting any non-theme words (with a minimum of four letters) can earn credits toward a hint. Submit three non-theme words to activate the “Hint” button; clicking it will highlight the letters in one of the theme words. Players must still align these highlighted letters correctly to form the intended theme word. If there’s already a hint on the board, using another hint will reveal the letter order of the associated word instead.

Winning the Game of Strands

Unlike other games like Connections and Wordle, there’s no possibility of failure in Strands. When guesses are made, predictions will either result in a correct identification, credits towards a hint, or a shake animation indicating the word is too short or invalid. There is no limitation on the number of guesses or timing.

Victory occurs when all letters on the board are correctly identified, encompassing both the spangram and all theme words. Similar to other NYT games, upon completion, a shareable card will display your performance, featuring blue dots 🔵 for theme words found, a yellow dot 🟡 for locating the spangram, and a lightbulb 💡 for words that received hints.