What is Strands?
Strands is an innovative word puzzle game featuring a 6x8 letter grid where players find words sharing a common theme. Each puzzle includes a special "theme word" (spangram) that must connect opposite edges of the grid and reveals the connection between all themed words.
How to Play
- Identify Theme Words: Scan the letter grid to find words matching the daily theme
- Connect Letters: Link adjacent letters horizontally, vertically, or diagonally
- Find Theme Words: All words are related to the theme - discover their connection
- Use Hints: Each puzzle allows up to 3 hints
- Discover Spangram: Find the theme word that connects opposite edges
Game Tips & Rules
- Valid Words: Must be at least 4 letters, can connect in any direction
- Earning Hints: Find non-themed valid words to accumulate hint points
- Color Meanings: Blue for regular theme words, yellow for spangram
- No Penalties: Wrong guesses are not penalized - feel free to experiment
- Using Hints: Hints highlight target word locations with dotted lines
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly is Strands and how do I play it?
Think of Strands as a word search puzzle with a twist! You'll see a grid of letters (6x8), and your job is to find words that share a secret theme. The fun part? There's always a special "master word" (we call it a spangram) that connects opposite sides of the grid and reveals what all the other words have in common.
I'm stuck! How do I get and use hints?
Here's a cool trick: find any valid dictionary words that don't fit the theme. Every three of these "off-theme" words earn you a hint! When you use a hint, it'll show you the outline of a hidden theme word. You'll still need to connect the letters yourself, and you can't get another hint until you solve that one.
What are the basic rules for making words?
Keep these simple rules in mind: words must be at least 4 letters long (sorry, no 3-letter words!), and you can connect letters in any direction - up, down, sideways, or diagonally. Your word path can twist and turn, and yes, you can use the same letter twice if they're next to each other (like the 'M' in "COMMA").
What do the different colors mean when I find words?
When you find a regular theme word, it'll light up in blue. The special spangram (that long word connecting opposite sides) shows up in yellow. And if you see a lightbulb, that means you used a hint to find that word.
What happens if I make a mistake?
Don't worry about mistakes - they're totally fine! There's no penalty for wrong guesses. In fact, finding valid dictionary words that aren't part of the theme actually helps you earn hints. At the end, you'll only see your successful finds and any hints you used.
Can I play as much as I want?
Absolutely! While the official version gives you one puzzle per day, our unlimited version lets you play as many puzzles as you want, whenever you want. And best of all? It's completely free to play on any device!