The New York Times introduced its first crossword in 1942 and has since expanded its puzzle offerings. Strands, launched recently, challenges players to find theme-related words and a Spangram on a letter grid.

The Spangram is a distinctive element in the NYT Strands puzzle—a long word or phrase that stretches from one side of the grid to the other. It reflects the puzzle’s central theme and often offers valuable insight for solving the rest of the board.