Strands是纽约时报推出的一款新颖的文字游戏，它在经典词汇搜索的基础上进行了创新。玩家需要连接字母，形成单词，这些单词可以向上、向下、向左、向右或对角线连接，并且字母还可以改变方向，形成各种有趣的形状。游戏的核心在于找出隐藏在字母网格中的所有单词，它们都围绕一个共同的主题，而“spangram”则是一个贯穿整个网格的特殊词语或短语，概括了当天的主题。游戏通过提供模糊的提示而非直接列出单词，增加了游戏的挑战性和趣味性，需要玩家花费更多时间去探索。

💡 Strands游戏的核心玩法是将经典词汇搜索与字母连接和方向变化相结合，玩家需要通过上下左右或对角线连接字母来组成单词，并且字母的连接方向可以改变，形成独特的形状。

🎯 游戏网格中的每一个字母都必须构成一个单词，所有单词都围绕一个共同的主题，而“spangram”是总结当天主题的特殊词语或短语，它会横向或纵向贯穿整个网格。

🔍 与Wordle和Connections等其他游戏不同，Strands提供不直接给出单词列表的模糊提示，这使得游戏更具挑战性，需要玩家花费10分钟以上的时间来解决，提供了一种更深入的益智体验。

✂️ 例如，在2023年8月4日的Strands游戏中，主题是“修剪相关”，单词列表包括Clippers、Razor、Aftershave、Barbershop、Comb、Cape、Trimmer，而spangram是“Barbershop”。

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: Cutting it close

The words are grooming-related.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words are types of styling tools.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Barbershop.

NYT Strands word list for August 4

Clippers

Razor

Aftershave

Barbershop

Comb

Cape

Trimmer

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.