Strands是一款新颖的文字游戏，玩家需要在字母网格中寻找由首尾相连的字母组成的单词，这些单词可以向上、下、左、右或对角线连接，并且可以改变方向。游戏强调每个字母都必须构成单词，所有单词都围绕一个主题，其中包含一个贯穿整个网格的“spangram”词语，概括了当天的核心主题。游戏不提供单词列表，只给出模糊的提示，因此比Wordle等游戏更具挑战性，需要玩家投入更多时间思考。文章提供了游戏的基本玩法、主题和spangram的提示与答案，帮助玩家更好地理解和游玩这款游戏。

✨ Strands游戏的核心玩法在于寻找由首尾相连的字母组成的单词，这些字母可以沿着上下左右及对角线方向连接，并且允许改变方向，形成不同寻常的形状。

🎯 游戏规则要求网格中的每一个字母都必须是某个单词的一部分，所有找到的单词都围绕一个共同的主题，并且存在一个贯穿网格的“spangram”，它概括了当天的整体主题。

💡 Strands游戏通过提供不明确的提示和隐藏单词列表，营造出一种烧脑的体验，使得游戏过程比Wordle或Connections等其他纽约时报游戏更具挑战性，需要玩家花费更多时间来解谜。

🔮 文章中提供了特定日期（7月18日）的游戏线索，包括主题“Abracadabra!”（与魔术相关）、spangram提示（水平方向）和spangram答案“Its Magic”，以及当日的单词列表：Escape, Its Magic, Multiply, Levitate, Transform, Disappear。

If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.

Strands requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferrined pace.

NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Abracadabra!

The words are magician-related.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words are magic tricks.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Its Magic.

NYT Strands word list for July 18

Escape

Its Magic

Multiply

Levitate

Transform

Disappear

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Strands.