A board of 48 letters and a one-line clue. Hidden in it: a handful of words that fit the theme, and one spangram that names it and stretches from one side of the board to the other. Every letter belongs to exactly one word. Find them all, then tap New theme for the next board: there are 2,000 of them, built from 131 themes.
How to play
- Read the clue. It hints at the theme without naming it: "Orchard harvest" means fruit, "Flight club" means birds.
- Trace a word by dragging across touching letters, diagonals included, or by tapping them one at a time and tapping the last letter again.
- Theme words turn blue and stay on the board, joined by a line. Words have at least four letters.
- Find the spangram: it spells out the theme and touches two opposite sides of the board. It turns yellow.
- Use every letter. When the whole board is colored, you have found them all.
Tips for finding every word
- Start at the edges and corners. A letter in a corner has only three neighbors, so the word it belongs to is easier to trace.
- Look for rare letters. A Q, Z, X or J narrows things down fast; its word has to pass through it.
- Guess the spangram early. Once you know the theme, the spangram tells you which way the board is split, and the other words fall into the gaps.
- Count what is left. Every word you find removes its letters from the board. The last few words often have only one way to go.
- Save your hints. A hint outlines a word but you still have to trace it, and a board finished without a hint counts in your stats.
Unlimited, daily and the archive
This page gives you a new board every round. The daily theme is the same for everyone and keeps a day streak. Stuck? The themes hints page shows today's clue, the spangram and the words one step at a time, and the archive has every past board with its answers. More games: grid, groups and the infinite word game.
Frequently asked questions
Is this the NYT Strands game?
No. It is our own theme word search with the same idea: a board of 48 letters, theme words and a spangram that use every letter once. The themes and boards are ours, and there is no daily limit. Strands is a trademark of The New York Times Company; this site is not affiliated with it.
What is a spangram?
The one word on every board that names the theme, like FRUITSALAD or BIRDWATCH. It touches two opposite sides of the board, left and right or top and bottom, and turns yellow when you find it.
How do I select letters?
Drag across letters that touch, sideways, up, down or diagonally, and let go to submit. Or tap letters one by one and tap the last one again. Tap a letter in your trace to shorten it.
How do hints work?
Tap Hint to outline the letters of a word you have not found yet. You still have to trace it. Your stats count the boards you finish without a hint.
Is there a daily board?
Yes: the daily theme is the same for everyone and changes at midnight Eastern Time. Past boards and their answers are in the archive.