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.
25 February 2026 NYT Strands Theme: “That’s really out there!”
Today’s theme leaned into outer space exploration, pointing players toward machines and technology sent beyond Earth. The vocabulary felt familiar but precise, with each word representing a specific type of exploratory vehicle. The spangram neatly summed up the entire list, stretching confidently across the grid and making the theme crystal clear once discovered.
25 February 2026 NYT Strands Hints
- Think beyond Earth — these are objects that travel far past our atmosphere.
- Look for machines designed for exploration rather than people.
- Several answers describe vehicles that gather data from space.
- One word refers to something that circles a planet continuously.
- Spangram: It’s a two-word phrase that broadly describes all the themed entries.
25 February 2026 NYT Strands Answers
- Rover (a vehicle designed to move across the surface of a planet)
- Probe (an exploratory device sent to collect data)
- Module (a detachable unit used in missions)
- Lander (a craft designed to descend to a planetary surface)
- Satellite (an object placed into orbit around a planet)
- Orbiter (a spacecraft that remains in orbit rather than landing)
Spangram
Space Craft
The spangram captures the collective identity of all the listed vehicles. Each answer represents a different type of spacecraft used in exploration, research, or planetary missions beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
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
Today’s puzzle felt approachable once the space theme clicked into place. The answers were clean and cohesive, and the spangram tied everything together smoothly. How many did you spot before reaching for a hint?
