Strands Solver

Strands Solver

Paste your NYT Strands letter grid and instantly see every playable word, spangram candidate, and theme word — free, private, and fast on mobile.

Solve your Strands grid

Paste each row of letters on its own line. Spaces, commas, or no separators all work.

Results

0 words found
Your words will appear here
Paste a grid above and click Solve (or just start typing — live solve is on).

How to Use the Strands Solver

  1. Open your Strands puzzle in the NYT Games app or on the NYT website.
  2. Copy the grid — each row of letters on its own line. You can include spaces (S P R I N G), commas (S,P,R,I,N,G), or paste letters with no separators at all (SPRING).
  3. Paste into the box above. Results appear automatically as you type (toggle off if you prefer).
  4. Browse words grouped by length. Click any word to copy it. Tap the − button next to a word to hide it — useful when you've already found it on the board and want to focus on what's left.
  5. Check the Spangram candidates panel for words that touch two opposite edges — that's how NYT defines the spangram in Strands.
  6. Copy all copies every remaining (non-excluded) word to your clipboard, one per line.

What Is Strands?

Strands is a daily word puzzle published by The New York Times, launched in March 2024. Each day gives you a grid of letters (typically 6×6) and a single-word theme clue. Your job is to find a set of hidden theme words by tracing adjacent letters — up, down, left, right, and diagonally — without reusing a cell within one word.

One of the theme words is the spangram: a word whose highlighted path connects two opposite sides of the board. Finding it is usually the key to unlocking the rest of the puzzle.

If you're stuck, this solver shows every dictionary word your grid can produce — which makes the hidden theme words pop right out. It's also a great way to check whether the word you traced is valid before submitting it in the app.

Why this solver exists

Most existing Strands solvers are slow, full of ads, or hard to use on a phone. We built this one to be fast (solves a 6×6 grid in under 100ms in your browser), private (your grid never leaves your device), and pleasant to use — including the "exclude found words" feature that other solvers skip.

Strands Solver FAQ

Is the Strands Solver free?

Yes. 100% free, no sign-up, no paywall, no usage limit.

How do I use the Strands solver?

Paste each row of your Strands grid on its own line (spaces or commas optional) and click Solve. All found words appear grouped by length. Click any word to copy it.

Does it work for today's NYT Strands puzzle?

Yes. It runs on the full ENABLE word list in your browser, so it works with any Strands grid — including today's — and flags spangram candidates (words that touch two opposite edges).

What is a spangram?

The spangram is a special theme word in Strands whose highlighted path touches two opposite edges of the board (top & bottom, or left & right). This solver flags any word whose path does this.

What grid sizes are supported?

Any rectangular grid — 4×4, 6×6, 7×7, even non-square — as long as each row has the same number of letters. The official daily Strands is usually 6×6.

Does it know the theme words for today's puzzle?

The solver finds every dictionary word your grid can produce. The official theme words will always be among them — they're ordinary dictionary words that follow the same adjacency rules. Use the spangram panel and length grouping to spot them quickly.

Is this affiliated with The New York Times?

No. strandssolver.org is an independent, fan-built tool. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by The New York Times Company.