If you’re visiting this page, you might be seeking some help on how to tackle [Strands](https://www.nytimes.com/games/strands), *The New York Times*’ distinctive spin on a word search game.
### Playing Strands
Strands offers a new approach to the traditional word search. Rather than merely spotting words in straight rows, you can create words by linking letters in any direction—up, down, left, right, or diagonally. Words can also switch directions, forming unique patterns. Every letter in the grid contributes to a solution.
Each puzzle centers around a specific theme, with all the words you discover connected to it. Additionally, there is a special word or phrase known as the “spangram,” which embodies the theme and stretches across the grid either horizontally or vertically.
### Why Strands is More Difficult
Unlike *Wordle* or *Connections*, Strands does not provide a list of words. Instead, it gives a somewhat ambiguous hint, presenting a more challenging and time-consuming mental exercise. If you find yourself stuck or short on time, we have hints available to assist you.
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### Today’s NYT Strands Hint: **Living Large**
The words in today’s puzzle pertain to items that are significantly large or signify the idea of largeness.
#### Theme Clarification
Each word in the puzzle is compatible with the term **”big”** to create a familiar phrase.
#### Spangram Clue
Today’s spangram is formatted **vertically**.
#### Spangram Solution
The spangram for today’s challenge is **BigStuff**.
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### NYT Strands Word List for February 27
Here’s a list of all the words necessary to complete today’s puzzle:
– **Spender**
– **Picture**
– **Leagues**
– **Break**
– **Foot**
– **Bird**
– **Cheese**
– **BigStuff**
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### More Games and Hints
In search of more daily challenges? Visit [Mashable’s Games page](https://mashable.com/category/games) for further hints and solutions. You can also discover other engaging games such as Mahjong, Sudoku, and crosswords on our [games hub](https://games.mashable.com/).
Did you miss yesterday’s puzzle? [Here’s the solution for February 26](https://mashable.com/article/strands-nyt-hint-february-26-2025).
Enjoy your puzzling! 🎉