If you’re hooked on the daily NYT Strands puzzle, you’re not alone. It’s a fresh word game from the New York Times that combines elements of a word search with clever, theme-based twists.
20 April 2026 NYT Strands Theme: “Gloriously glaring!”
Today’s theme revolved around light and shine—words that capture different ways something can sparkle, shimmer, or reflect brightness. The puzzle leaned into vivid, descriptive vocabulary, with a consistent prefix pattern that made it both satisfying and slightly tricky to untangle.
20 April 2026 NYT Strands Hints
- Think of ways light interacts with surfaces, especially shiny or reflective ones.
- Many of the words describe subtle variations of brightness or sparkle.
- Look for a shared starting sound or letter pattern across multiple answers.
- Some words suggest a soft glow, while others imply sharper flashes of light.
- The grid plays with closely related synonyms—don’t stop at just one idea.
- Spangram ties the list together by describing what all these effects have in common.
20 April 2026 NYT Strands Answers
- Glimmer (a faint, unsteady shine)
- Glitter (sparkling light with many reflections)
- Glow (a steady, soft light)
- Glint (a brief flash of light)
- Gleam (a steady, bright shine)
- Glisten (a moist or radiant sparkle)
Spangram
CATCH THE LIGHT
This spangram perfectly captures the essence of the puzzle, describing how all the listed words relate to light reflecting, shimmering, or shining in different intensities and forms.
How Strands works
Strands is a daily word search puzzle with a twist:
- You’re given a theme.
- The grid is packed with hidden words tied to that theme.
- Words can run in any direction, including diagonals.
- Once you find all the theme words, you’re done!
Each puzzle usually has around 6–8 theme words.
How to get and use hints
Hints are built right into Strands, and they’re super useful if you’re stuck:
- To earn a hint, find any non-theme word of at least four letters in the grid.
- Each valid extra word gives you one hint.
- When you use a hint, one of the theme words will be revealed automatically, helping you move forward.
Pro tip: Don’t just burn hints — use them strategically when the grid feels impossible. Sometimes a single revealed word unlocks the entire board.
Tips to become a NYT Strands pro
- Start with obvious words. Look for clear connections to the theme first.
- Scan diagonals early. Strands loves to hide words at an angle.
- Build around found words. Once one word is cleared, the leftover letters often point to the next.
- Use hints wisely. Earn them steadily by spotting extra words, then save them for when you’re truly stuck.
- Think about synonyms. The theme clue isn’t always literal — broaden your thinking.
Final thoughts
This was a smooth and enjoyable puzzle with a strong thematic thread. The repeated “gl-” sounds made it feel cohesive, while still offering enough challenge. How many did you find before checking the answers?
