The January 22, 2026 edition of The New York Times’ Strands puzzle delighted enthusiasts with an uplifting theme centered around happiness. Puzzle #690, titled “Ode to Joy,” tasked solvers with finding words that represent various forms of joy, weaving a cheerful mood throughout the grid. The puzzle’s challenge was enhanced by a special “spangram,” offering a unique twist on the classic word search format.
Spangram and Themed Words
Players of Strands, a rising favorite among word game fans, were presented with six words—Bliss, Rhapsody, Ecstasy, Seventh Heaven, Elation, and Euphoria—each representing a different facet of happiness. The puzzle’s special spangram, “Seventh Heaven,” served as a key feature, diagonally crossing the grid from the bottom left to the upper right. This spatial challenge added an additional layer of complexity, requiring solvers to think strategically about both the theme and the placement of each word.
Strands has built a reputation for its innovative gameplay, which differs from simpler word games like Wordle. In Strands, players must connect letters in every direction, forming words that can twist and turn in unexpected shapes. The goal is to use every letter in the grid exactly once, a challenge that increases both the complexity and engagement for fans.
The difficulty of the January 22 puzzle was described as “moderate” by some testers, although others, including The NYT Strands Sidekick, referred to it as “easy” based on average ratings from paid solvers. This mix of opinions highlights the subjective nature of puzzle difficulty, as players’ familiarity with the theme and word choices influenced their experience.
For those in need of assistance, Strands offered a clever hint system. Players could unlock hints by spotting non-theme words of four letters or more. Each set of three non-theme words revealed the first two letters of a theme word, giving solvers a helpful nudge. For example, “BL” for Bliss, “EC” for Ecstasy, and so on, guided players toward solving the puzzle at their own pace.
The Strands puzzle is known for its daily themes, and on January 21, just the day before the joyful “Ode to Joy,” the game embraced a different tone. The theme “That’s Not Very Polite” focused on impolite behaviors, with the spangram “Don’t Be Rude” and words like Burp, Gloat, and Interrupt. This stark contrast between the puzzles highlighted Strands’ versatility in tackling diverse subjects, from the positive to the playful and irreverent.
As Strands continues to captivate its growing audience, it stands out not just for its challenging puzzles but for its innovative approach. Each day’s puzzle offers a fresh theme and layout, ensuring that no two days are alike. For January 22’s “Ode to Joy,” the inclusion of both a lighthearted theme and a spatial spangram proved to be an enjoyable challenge, reminding solvers of the many ways joy can be expressed through words.
