If you’re here, you’re likely seeking some guidance with Strands — the New York Times’ clever variation on the classic word search puzzle.

Strands invites players to discover words concealed within a letter grid, but with an intriguing twist: words can curve in any direction — upward, downward, sideways, or diagonally — and may even shift direction within a single word. Every letter in the grid contributes to the solution, and all the words share a common theme. Each puzzle also features a special word or phrase known as the “spangram,” which encapsulates the day’s theme and spans across the grid either horizontally or vertically.

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In contrast to other NYT games such as Wordle or Connections, Strands does not present a word list. Instead, it offers a cryptic clue relating to the theme, making it a more time-consuming and thought-provoking undertaking. However, if you find yourself pressed for time or simply need a bit of guidance, we have all the hints and solutions you require to complete today’s Strands puzzle at your leisure.

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Today’s NYT Strands Theme Hint:
Out of this world

What does the theme imply?
All of today’s words are titles from science fiction films — a genre that’s genuinely “out of this world.”

Spangram Direction:
Today’s spangram extends horizontally across the grid.

Spangram Answer:
ScienceFiction

Strands Word List for April 8:

– Gravity
– Arrival
– Dune
– Alien
– Megalopolis
– ScienceFiction (spangram)

Looking for more games like Strands?
Explore Mashable’s Games page for more daily puzzles, including Mahjong, Sudoku, crosswords, and others. You can also visit our dedicated games hub for a comprehensive selection of free online games.

Missed a day?
Catch up with yesterday’s Strands puzzle and solution here.