The rules, quickly
You get a 6×8 grid of letters and a theme title. Drag through adjacent letters — including diagonals — to make words. Words that fit the theme stay lit. Everything else clears.
The spangram
One entry names the theme and reaches from one edge of the board to the opposite edge. That is the spangram, and it is the single most useful thing to find early, because it usually eats a third of the grid.
Three habits worth building
- 1Read the theme title as a riddle, not a label. “Taking the plunge” is rarely about swimming.
- 2Hunt the long diagonals first. A chain of letters running corner to corner is far more likely to be spangram than coincidence.
- 3Use the hint counter deliberately. Three non-theme words buys a highlight. That is a resource, not a punishment.
When you are properly stuck
Take the smallest hint that moves you, not the biggest one available. Our daily hints page is built for that: theme first, then structure, then first letters, and only then the answers.
Do diagonals really count?
Yes, in every direction, and they are where most missed words hide.
Is there a time limit?
No. Strands has no clock — the only pressure is the one you bring.