On February 2, 2026, the New York Times launches its Strands puzzle, marked as Puzzle #701. This engaging word-search puzzle revolves around the theme “Formidable Flock” and presents a unique challenge for its players.
Understanding the Strands Puzzle
The Strands puzzle is structured with a 6×8 letter grid. This grid hides words connected to its central theme. Players can locate words in any direction—horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. Importantly, letters can only be used once in the search.
A distinctive feature of the puzzle is its spangram, which stretches across the board, linking opposite edges. To uncover extra hints, players can reveal non-theme words of four letters or more up to three times.
Theme: “Formidable Flock”
This theme prompts players to seek out birds that are large or impressive by nature. Notable points include:
- Birds with extraordinary size or striking aesthetics.
- Both flightless species and substantial birds that can fly.
- Birds possessing unique physical traits or significant cultural importance.
Spangram Details
The spangram is prominently featured within the puzzle:
- Orientation: Horizontal
- Letter Count: 8 letters
- Starting Zone: First letter of the fifth row
Players can look for hints to assist with the spangram:
- Hint 1: Think of a term describing a collection of impressive birds.
- Hint 2: This phrase might refer to significant avian species.
- Hint 3: The first letter is B, and the last is S — — — — — BIGBIRDS.
Word Clues and Answers
Players can also access clues for individual words in the puzzle. Below are some examples:
- Word 1: A large, flightless bird from South America.
Answer: RHEA (Starts with R, 4 letters) - Word 2: A massive vulture known for its enormous wingspan.
Answer: CONDOR (Starts with C, 6 letters) - Word 3: The largest living bird, recognized for speed and powerful legs.
Answer: OSTRICH (Starts with O, 7 letters) - Word 4: A water bird excelling at fishing with a unique throat pouch.
Answer: PELICAN (Starts with P, 7 letters) - Word 5: A distinctive black and white bird that swims but cannot fly.
Answer: PENGUIN (Starts with P, 7 letters) - Word 6: A striking flightless bird from Australia, notable for its features.
Answer: CASSOWARY (Starts with C, 9 letters)
Puzzle Difficulty and Insights
This puzzle is considered to have a moderate difficulty level. The word “CASSOWARY” presents a unique challenge due to its length and uncommon usage. Overall, the Strands puzzle effectively showcases the theme of “Formidable flock,” blending a rich variety of notable birds.
