If you are viewing this, you are looking for help with Strands, the New York Times‘ elegant word-search game.

Strands presents a challenge to players with a variation on the classic word search. Words can be created from adjacent letters in any direction, including diagonally, and may change direction, forming distinctive shapes. Each letter in the grid contributes to an answer. A theme unites all solutions, along with the “spangram,” a unique word or phrase that embodies the day’s theme and spans the grid either horizontally or vertically.

By providing an unclear hint and lacking a word list, Strands offers a challenging experience that may take longer to complete than other games such as Wordle and Connections.

If you find yourself stuck or don’t have 10 minutes to tackle today’s puzzle, we have all the NYT Strands hints you require to continue at your own pace.

NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Pungent problems

The words are related to odors.

Today’s NYT Strands theme clearly defined

These words refer to unpleasant odors.

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 That Stinks