The New York Times’ Strands puzzle #161 proved challenging for many players today. The theme “Home stretch?” left some scratching their heads, even after uncovering a few answers. The key to cracking the puzzle was realizing that the theme referred to extra rooms and extensions that can be added to a home.
Words like DECK, PATIO, VERANDA, SUNROOM, BALCONY, and TERRACE all fit this category of bonus spaces that stretch the living area of a house. However, even with this realization, the puzzle wasn’t a breeze to solve. The spangram BONUSSPACES snaked around the board in an uneven way, making it tricky to spot.
Many players had to resort to using the game’s built-in hint system to make progress. “I really struggled with today’s Strands,” admits Marc McLaren, TechRadar’s Global Editor-in-Chief and an avid word game enthusiast. “It took me a while to get started, needing the first hint to find the word ‘DECK.’ The theme clue ‘Home stretch?’ didn’t immediately help me, so I needed another hint for ‘PATIO.'”
McLaren wasn’t alone in his struggle.
Strands hints reveal home stretch? theme
Many players reported needing multiple hints to complete the puzzle. “Once I had those, I realized the pattern but still needed hints for ‘BALCONY’ and ‘SUNROOM,'” McLaren shares.
“Eventually, with most of the words found, the spangram ‘BONUSSPACES’ was the final piece of the puzzle that took me the longest to uncover.”
Despite the difficulty, or perhaps because of it, many Strands fans enjoyed the mental workout provided by puzzle #161. The clever theme and tricky spangram made for a satisfying solve, even if it required a bit more brainpower than usual. For those who couldn’t quite crack the code, the full list of answers includes:
DECK
PATIO
VERANDA
SUNROOM
BALCONY
TERRACE
With the spangram: BONUSSPACES
Strands, which launched in beta earlier this year, has quickly gained a dedicated following among word game enthusiasts.
The game presents players with a 6×8 grid of letters and challenges them to find a group of words that fit a given theme, as well as a special linking word called a spangram. The New York Times has noted that Strands themes “may be fill-in-the-blank phrases, steps in a process, items that all belong to the same category, synonyms or homophones.” This variety keeps players on their toes and ensures a fresh challenge with each new puzzle. With Strands now out of beta, fans can look forward to tackling a new brainteaser every day.
If today’s puzzle is any indication, players had better bring their A-game and be ready for some mental gymnastics. But for true word wizards, that’s all part of the fun.
