Strands, the latest game from The New York Times, is a mix of Spelling Bee, Mini Crossword, and word search. Players must use every letter on the board to create themed words, hinted at in the puzzle's title. Non-themed words also count, with three revealing the location of a themed word. The "spangram" spans the board and summarizes the theme. Tips from creators and players help navigate the game, such as thinking like a wordsmith for wordplay titles like "What's the Issue?" with entries like MAGAZINES and TIME. Another puzzle, "Back and Forth," featured the spangram PALINDROMES and answers like RACECAR and KAYAK. Get ready to hit the ground running with Strands by mastering themed word-finding and unlocking the secrets of each puzzle's unique theme.