SinceWordle became a global phenomenon, word games have been very much in fashion. The latest to hit the web is Strands, a new daily puzzle game from the New York Times. It’s a word search game with a difference, and you’ll likely find it surprisingly addicting given its simplicity.

What Is the Strands Game by the New York Times?

Strands is a take on the classic word searches we all spent time solving as children. You get a grid of 48 letters in a 6x8 formation, and a short, singular clue to work with. It’s then your job to find all the words that fit the theme the clue is hinting at, including the “spangram”. This is the core word that describes the puzzle’s theme and touches two sides of the board. Hence, the “span”.

You simply tap on letters in turn or drag your finger across multiple letters to form words. If you find a correct word, it turns blue (or yellow in the case of the spangram), and you move onto the next one. If you get it wrong (meaning you find a word that isn’t part of the theme), you’ll earn hints. Three wrong words equal one hint.

Like withthe best Wordle puzzle alternatives, the rules are simple, but the puzzles themselves are not. While Strands isn’t as mentally taxing asConnections, another NYT game that this writer plays on a daily basis, it will still get your gray matter working.

At the time of writing, Strands is in beta, which means it’s merely being tested to see if it stands up to scrutiny. On a practical level, that beta assignation means it’s only available to play on the web and is not yet part of the New York Times Games app.

How to Play the NYT’s Strands Word Search Game

Now that you have the puzzle open and start seeing words, here’s what you need to do guess the spangram.

Tapping and dragging letters to form words with a mouse can be frustrating. If you’re playing Strands on a non-touchscreen device, we recommend tapping each letter in turn.

5 Quick Tips to Succeed at Strands by the NYT

Often, the simplest games are the best. And puzzle games don’t come any simpler than word searches. However, Strands makes this classic puzzle much more interesting with a couple of simple yet effective twists.