If you’re on the hunt for hints and solutions for the Strands puzzle dated January 2, 2025, you’re in the right place! This edition features the theme “Super Bowl,” and valuable clues as well as the ultimate answer will be provided below.

To easily access our daily Strands hints, consider bookmarking this page. Previous hints are also archived here for those curious about past puzzles.

Next, you’ll find subtle hints regarding today’s Strands answers. Keep scrolling to uncover the spangram and full solutions, ensuring you take only the guidance you need!

Hint for the Spangram

Think of a comforting two-word meal often craved when feeling unwell.

Hints for the Theme Words

Common ingredients associated with this dish.

Spoilers Ahead for Today’s Strands Puzzle!

The answers to today’s puzzle will be unveiled now.

Analysis of Today’s Puzzle

Today’s theme seems intriguing—could it relate to bowls, culinary dishes, or perhaps the sport itself?

The word STOCK appears prominently in the upper left corner and stands out. 🔵 Might that pertain to a stock pot?

Adjacent to STOCK, the word CHICKEN shows up, but it doesn’t fit the theme. Could it be part of the spangram? Indeed, it leads to CHICKENSOUP. 🟡 Thus, STOCK refers to the broth.

To the left of the spangram lies CELERY. 🔵

NOODLES can be found towards the lower left. 🔵

CARROTS sit at the lower right. 🔵

Directly above CARROTS, ONIONS are spotted. 🔵

Finally, PEPPER rounds out the list. 🔵

Strands #302
“Super Bowl”
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Playing Strands

The Strands game can be accessed on the New York Times website or through the NYT Games app.

Upon starting, players are presented with a board filled with various letters and a clue offering insight into the theme—often represented by a phrase like “Better with age.” The objective is to uncover hidden words that coincide with the puzzle’s theme.

A Combination of Crossword and Word Search

Key to success is identifying the “spangram,” a word that succinctly encapsulates the theme. For instance, in a puzzle themed “Better with age,” the spangram is FERMENTED, which highlights products that improve over time. This pivotal word stretches across the entire board, either horizontally or vertically. Uncovering the spangram typically simplifies the remainder of the puzzle.

In Strands, words can be arranged in any direction—upwards, downwards, horizontally, or diagonally—while each letter can only be used once. A singular correct solution exists. Once a player successfully identifies one of the words (think KOMBUCHA, MISO, or KIMCHI), it will be highlighted in blue.

If the puzzle proves challenging, submitting non-theme words that are four letters or longer can earn credits toward hints. After three non-theme words are entered, the “Hint” button activates, allowing players to highlight letters in one theme word. Although the letters will be displayed, players must link them accurately to form the intended word. Should an additional hint be utilized before completion of the previously obtained hint, the letter order for that word will be exposed.

Strategies for Winning Strands

Unlike other games like Connections and Wordle, Strands cannot be lost. Submitted guesses will either yield correct answers, grant hint credits, or produce a shaking effect to denote an invalid or too short word. There are no limitations on attempts, and no time constraints exist.

A player achieves victory once all letters on the board have been utilized, successfully identifying the spangram along with all the theme words. Similar to other NYT games, after solving the puzzle, a shareable card displays performance that day, featuring blue dots 🔵 for theme words found, a yellow dot 🟡 upon discovering the spangram, and a lightbulb 💡 to represent words that received hints.