“Here at Last Letter First, we’re always eager to play new and classic online word games like the Strands word game that indulge our passion for word-building.
Today, we’re excited to introduce you to a game that fits that exact description. It’s called Strands, and it’s one of the newest online word games published by The New York Times. Released in March 2024, Strands challenges players to find words that belong to the day’s theme. A “Find the remainder” theme from a puzzle in August 2025, for instance, contained words that were excess-related. These words included “trace,” “residue,” and “remnant.”
Unlike a standard crossword puzzle, Strands does not give you a word bank to refer to; instead, you’ll be given only the day’s theme and a 6×8 grid featuring 48 individual letters. The goal of the Strands word game is to find all the theme words and reveal the Spangram. This game has quickly become a favorite among online word game enthusiasts, and that comes as no surprise!
Strands Word Game Review
When the Strands NYT word game debuted, we couldn’t wait to play it. The New York Times, after all, has solidified its reputation as an innovative online word game hub thanks to hits such as Wordle, Spelling Bee, and Letter Boxed. Would the Strands word game be just as exciting as all the others? The answer, of course, turned out to be a resounding yes!
The Strands NYT game is unique in that every letter gets used once, and no words on the grid overlap. Drag or tap letters to create words. At the end of the game, you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment for having completely filled the board, which means you succeeded in pinpointing the Spangram and revealing every thematic word. The Spangram, by the way, touches two opposite ends of the grid and summarizes the puzzle’s theme; finding this word calls for a joyful “huzzah!” or another similarly triumphant exclamation of your choice.
Like other word games published by The New York Times, the Strands word game is sleek and well-designed. Each theme word gets highlighted in light blue once found, while the Spangram will be highlighted in a celebratory bright yellow. A new Strands word game is released at midnight (per your timezone) every day.
If you’ve made a New York Times account, your progress and Strands word game statistics will automatically be synced to your account. This is a great way to keep tabs on how many Strands puzzles you’ve solved, the number of consecutive days you’ve played, how many times you’ve found the Spangram first, and more!
Strands Word Game Alternatives
If you enjoy the Strands word game — whether you play every day or on occasion — chances are you’ll also love Last Letter First. Like Strands, Last Letter First is easy to learn and rewarding to play, plus there are no ads to watch, boosters to buy, or annoying paywalls to confront. We’re happy to provide you with a space where you can focus, build your vocabulary, and play at your own desired pace.
To play Last Letter First, simply start a new game on your preferred device (desktop, tablet, or phone) and enter a word. Now, your opponent must submit a word in response, and that word must begin with the last letter of your word. You can play solo, with strangers, friends, family members, or even long-lost cousins who made their way into your Google Contacts.
In terms of Strands word game alternatives, Last Letter First is one of the best because it can be played anytime, anywhere, and with anyone. Other excellent Strands word game alternatives include Phoodle, Blossom Word Game, Scrabble, and Words of Wonder. Each of these games has its own unique set of rules and objectives. Where the goal of Strands NYT word game is to find all the words, a game like Scrabble encourages you to chase points and be as strategic as possible.
Play. Master. Repeat.
Now that you’ve read our Strands word game review, we hope you’ll make time to get to know this game and any other word games that sound intriguing. When it comes to word-building games like Strands and Last Letter First, you can easily master the rules, but you can always count on no two games ever being the same. That’s the magic recipe, it seems: simple rules, surprising outcomes.
For more information about Last Letter First, check out our FAQ section. We’re always happy to answer any specific questions or concerns you have, too! Reach out anytime.
