Strands is a daily word search puzzle game from The New York Times. It is a relatively new game, launched in 2024, in which players seek a common theme among words in a 6×8 letter grid.
Whether it’s your first time playing or you’re a Strands veteran, today’s tips and strategies can help you find words faster. So, if you’ve found yourself stuck with today’s Strands, don’t worry, below you’ll find some helpful hints and even the answers for Strands Game #774 for Thursday, April 16, 2026
To play today’s Strands, head to the game’s website.
IMPORTANT: The following information includes spoilers on today’s edition of Strands. If you don’t want the answer given to you, stop scrolling.
How To Play Strands
Strands is a daily word search that challenges you to find words with a common theme. There’s also a Spanagram that reveals the deeper theme behind the words.
- Words that are three letters and under do not count.
- Words that reveal the correct theme appear in blue.
- The Spanagram turns yellow when found.
- Finding three words that don’t fit the theme will reveal a hint to help you find the proper words.
The goal is to string together as many words as possible. Every letter on the grid gets used! Daily puzzles keep players coming back for more, making it a fun brain exercise and a popular online trend.
Strands can only be played on the New York Times website or on the NYT Games app.
Strands Hints For Today, April 16, 2026
The Strands’ answers to the theme of Game #774 are all related to terms you use to describe your hobbies
General Strands Hints For April 16
Without giving today’s Strands answers completely away, here are a few helpful hints for today to get you started:
- Hint 1: The “rec” in rec room.
- Hint 2: Baseball, the great American ____.
- Hint 3: When you have interests or skills that you do for leisure.
Use these clues to narrow down your searches and increase your chances of solving Strands #774 for April 16, 2026.
Words to Help You Find Strand Hints for April 16, 2026
If you want help getting started without having today’s Strands answer given to you, there are a few starter words worth trying that will help you unlock some in-game hints. A few starter words that may help are:
- FORE
- TASER
- JUST
- PAST
- TIME
Today’s Strands Answer For Game #774 On April 16, 2026
If you’ve tried everything, including using the above hints, and are still stuck, you can find the answers to today’s Strands below. Check out the answers for past puzzles here.
- PASTIME
- INTEREST
- RECREATION
- HOBBY
- SIDELINE
- SPANAGRAM: JUSTFORFUN
If you solved today’s Strands without our answers, congratulations! If not, take note of the best tips above for tomorrow’s puzzle, and check back daily for more hints.
When Is The Next Strands Game After #774?
All New York Times games are updated daily at 12 am or Midnight in your respective time zone. Information about the next game is often available in the hours leading up to it, giving players a heads-up. The game on April 17 will be Strands Game #775.
What Is Strands?
Strands is a daily word search puzzle game created by The New York Times. Launched in 2024, Strands challenges players to discover a common theme among words in a 6×8 letter grid. The game’s original concept was developed by Juliette Seive, a research director on The New York Times Games team, with the aim of replicating Wordle’s success. Tracy Bennett serves as the puzzle editor for Strands, overseeing the creation and curation of daily puzzles since its launch.
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