Strands Today

#23 · Tuesday, 3 November 2026

Today's theme

Pens at the ready

0/8 theme words
Drag or tap letters to make words
r
b
e
k
t
t
e
e
a
i
i
r
p
z
i
p
i
v
t
u
r
c
a
a
o
b
k
j
s
z
s
p
q
u
i
u
e
c
s
e
b
n
o
r
t
a
m
o

Find 3 more non-theme words to earn a hint

Strands Today is a themed word search with no straight lines. Every letter on the board belongs to exactly one theme word, and the words twist and turn through touching letters in any direction.

Start with the clue, hunt for the spangram that spans the board, and earn hints by finding other words along the way. Finished already? Strands Unlimited has a new puzzle whenever you want one.

Strands hints for Tuesday, 3 November 2026

Today's theme is “Pens at the ready”. There are 8 words to find, including the spangram. Open a hint below and stop once you've got what you need.

Spangram hint

The spangram has 7 letters, starts with p and runs from side to side.

Theme word lengths

4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 8 letters (not counting the spangram).

First letters

The theme words start with t, b, p, s, t, j and t.

Today's spangram
Reveal the spangram

pubquiz

All of today's answers
Show every answer

team, bonus, prize, scores, trivia, jackpot, tiebreak

How to play Strands

  1. 1Read the theme clue. Every letter on the board belongs to exactly one theme word.
  2. 2Drag through touching letters, in any direction including diagonals, and let go to submit. You can also tap letters one at a time and tap the last one again, or type on a keyboard.
  3. 3Find the spangram: the word that sums up the theme and stretches from one side of the board to the other.
  4. 4Stuck? Every three non-theme words you find earns a hint that outlines a theme word.

Frequently asked questions

How do you play Strands?

Every puzzle has a theme. Find the theme words hidden in the 6x8 letter grid by joining touching letters in any direction, diagonals included. The theme words use every letter on the board exactly once.

What is the spangram?

The spangram is the word or phrase that sums up the theme. It stretches from one side of the board to the opposite side, and turns yellow when you find it.

How do hints work?

Every three words you find that aren't theme words earns a hint. Using a hint outlines the letters of a theme word. Use a second hint on the same word and its letter order is shown too.

Is this the official Strands?

No. This is an independently built word game inspired by Strands, with its own puzzles. It isn't affiliated with The New York Times.

When does the new Strands puzzle come out?

A new Strands Today puzzle goes live every day at midnight, UK time, and everyone gets the same one.

Word list: SCOWL © 2000-2016 Kevin Atkinson