If you’ve arrived here, you might be seeking assistance with playing [Strands](https://www.nytimes.com/games/strands), *The New York Times*’ distinct interpretation of a word search puzzle.
### How to Engage with Strands
Strands invites players to discover words in a grid by connecting letters in any direction—up, down, left, right, or diagonally. Unlike conventional word searches, words in Strands can alter direction and create surprising shapes. Every letter within the grid contributes to a solution, with all words linked by a shared theme. Furthermore, each puzzle features a unique word or phrase known as the “spangram,” which represents the day’s theme and stretches across the grid either horizontally or vertically.
By providing just a vague hint and leaving out a word list, Strands demands more time and thinking compared to other NYT games like [Wordle](https://mashable.com/category/wordle) and [Connections](https://mashable.com/category/connections).
If you’re feeling stuck or simply pressed for time, we have all the hints you require to tackle today’s Strands puzzle at your leisure.
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### Today’s NYT Strands Hint: *I’m true to my word*
The words in the current puzzle are well-known names.
### Theme Clarification
Each word is a name that also serves as an ordinary word.
### Spangram Hint: Vertical or Horizontal?
Today’s spangram is **vertical**.
### Today’s Spangram Solution
The spangram for this puzzle is **FirstNames**.
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### NYT Strands Word List for February 6
– **Drew**
– **Will**
– **Chuck**
– **Jimmy**
– **Robin**
– **Chase**
– **Miles**
– **FirstNames**
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### More Games and Pointers
Hunting for additional daily puzzles? Visit [Mashable’s Games page](https://mashable.com/category/games) for hints, strategies, and even more word games. You can also check out [Mashable’s game hub](https://games.mashable.com/) for Mahjong, Sudoku, crosswords, and other options.
Missed yesterday’s puzzle? [Here’s the solution to February 5’s Strands](https://mashable.com/article/strands-nyt-hint-february-5-2025).