Strands是纽约时报推出的一款新颖的文字游戏，它在传统词语搜索的基础上进行了创新。玩家需要连接字母来组成单词，字母可以上下左右或对角线连接，并且单词的组成方向可以自由变化，形成独特的形状。游戏中的每个字母都必须被用到，所有单词都围绕一个共同的主题，还有一个贯穿整个网格的“spangram”词语，它概括了当日的主题。游戏不提供单词列表，而是通过模糊的提示来增加挑战性，使得游戏过程比Wordle等其他游戏更具思考性。

✨ Strands游戏的核心玩法是连接字母组成单词，字母连接方式多样，包括上下左右及对角线，并且允许改变方向，增加了游戏的趣味性和挑战性。

🎯 游戏网格中的每一个字母都必须构成一个单词，所有找到的单词都围绕一个特定的主题，还有一个特殊的“spangram”词语，它横跨或竖直贯穿整个网格，直接点明了当日的主题。

❓ Strands游戏通过提供不明确的提示而非直接列出单词，旨在为玩家创造一个需要更多思考和时间的脑力挑战，与Wordle和Connections等游戏相比，更费时且更具深度。

💡 游戏提供当日主题的提示，例如“It's been a while”或“These words are associated with coming together”，帮助玩家缩小搜索范围，同时spangram的提示（如“Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal”）能进一步引导玩家。

✅ 游戏公布了部分单词列表，如“Convene”、“Gather”、“Assemble”、“Reunion”、“Muster”、“Congregate”、“Meet”，这些单词共同指向“Reunion”这一主题和spangram。

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: It's been a while

The words are group-related.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words are associated with coming together.

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 Reunion.

NYT Strands word list for July 26

Convene

Gather

Assemble

Reunion

Muster

Congregate

Meet

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.