If today’s Strands puzzle felt tougher than usual, you’re not alone. This one didn’t reward general music knowledge. It tested how closely you’ve been following modern hits from 2025.
The daily Strands game from The New York Times continues its beta run, and puzzles like this show why it keeps players on their toes.
How Strands Works (Quick Refresher)
Strands plays like a twist on a classic word search. Each day, players see a 6×8 grid of letters and a theme clue. The goal is to find words connected to that theme.
When you find a correct theme word, it stays highlighted in blue. There’s also one special word called the spangram. That word explains how everything connects and stretches from one side of the grid to the other. The spangram stays highlighted in yellow.
The New York Times has warned players that themes can vary widely. Some puzzles rely on categories, others on phrases or wordplay. Difficulty shifts throughout the week, much like Wordle.
Today’s Official Hint
NYT Hint:
2025 top 20
Extra Hint: One word only
That second hint mattered. No multi-word titles. No proper names.
Opening Letters (If You Needed a Nudge)
For players who wanted help without full spoilers, here were the starting letters:
- MA
- AB
- DA
- OR
- GO
Spangram Revealed
The spangram tying everything together was:
HITSONGS
Simple, but effective.
Today’s Strands Answers
All five theme words were single-word song titles that charted in 2025:
- MANCHILD
- ABRACADABRA
- GOLDEN
- DAISIES
- ORDINARY
The puzzle avoided artist names and multi-word tracks, which ruled out several obvious chart-toppers.
Songs Behind the Answers
Each word matched a real 2025 hit:
- Golden – Huntr/X
- Manchild – Sabrina Carpenter
- Abracadabra – Lady Gaga
- Ordinary – Alex Warren
- Daisies – Justin Bieber
If you recognized them quickly, today’s puzzle probably felt fair. If not, it may have felt like homework.
Have you heard all five tracks, or did this puzzle send you straight to a playlist?
