If you’re visiting this page, you’re likely seeking some advice on playing [Strands](https://www.nytimes.com/games/strands), *The New York Times*’ distinctive approach to a word search puzzle.
### How to Engage with Strands
Strands adds an innovative twist to the classic word search. You can create words by linking letters in any direction—upward, downward, sideways, or diagonally. Additionally, words may alter their direction, forming intriguing shapes. Every letter in the grid contributes to an answer. Each puzzle centers around a particular theme, featuring a special word or phrase known as the “spangram” that encapsulates the theme and spans the grid either horizontally or vertically.
In contrast to *Wordle* or *Connections*, Strands does not supply a word list, resulting in a more difficult and time-consuming challenge. If you find yourself stuck or pressed for time, we have hints available to assist you.
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### Today’s Strands Hint: “Let us prey”
Today’s words focus on creatures that hunt for sustenance.
#### Theme Clarification
The answers pertain to animals that hunt others.
#### Spangram Hint
Today’s spangram is presented **vertically**.
#### Spangram Response
The spangram for today is **ApexPredators**.
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### Strands Word List for Today (March 1)
– **Tyrannosaurus**
– **Crocodile**
– **Lion**
– **Human**
– **Orca**
– **ApexPredators**
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### Additional Games and Hints
Interested in more daily puzzles? Visit [Mashable’s Games page](https://mashable.com/category/games) for further hints and solutions. You can also check out [Mashable’s game hub](https://games.mashable.com/) for Mahjong, Sudoku, crosswords, and more.
Missed yesterday’s puzzle? [Locate the solution here](https://mashable.com/article/strands-nyt-hint-february-28-2025).