How to Play Strands Sports

How to play

1. Read the sports clue above the six-column, eight-row grid.
2. Drag through touching letters in any of eight directions, or tap letters then press Submit. Use each cell once per word.
3. Find every theme answer. The spangram names the theme and reaches two opposite edges.
4. Find three distinct non-theme dictionary words of at least four letters to earn a hint. A hint outlines one unfound answer.
5. Use all 48 letters in the theme answers to finish the puzzle.

The grid

Every board is a grid of 48 letters in six columns and eight rows, with a short sports clue above it. Each letter belongs to exactly one hidden answer.

Selecting letters

Move from a letter to any letter that touches it: up, down, sideways or diagonally. Drag across the letters and let go to submit, or tap them one at a time and press Submit or tap the last letter again. Step back onto the previous letter to undo it; Clear starts over. Words need at least four letters, and cells already in a found answer cannot be reused.

Theme answers and the spangram

Each board hides one spangram and four to eight theme answers. Theme answers are 4 to 12 letters long and turn blue when found. The spangram is 8 to 16 letters long, names the theme, and touches two opposite edges of the grid: top and bottom, or left and right. It turns gold. Every answer fits only one set of cells, so the right word is always in the right spot.

Earning and using hints

A dictionary word of four or more letters that is not a theme answer is a bonus word; each different one counts once per board. Every three earn one hint, and the Hint button shows your progress, such as 1/3. A hint outlines the cells of one unfound answer, starting with the spangram while it is hidden. You still trace the word yourself.

Finishing a board

The board is complete when every answer is found, which uses all 48 letters. A result card shows your hints and time, and Share copies blue and gold squares without giving away any words.

Daily, unlimited, archive and library

The daily puzzle is the same for everyone and changes at midnight UTC; its theme does not repeat within any seven-day stretch. Unlimited deals a new board each time and puts its seed in the address bar, so that link reopens the same grid. The archive keeps every daily board since November 9, 2026, and the numbered puzzle library holds 300 boards where each number always opens the same puzzle. Progress for each board you start is saved in this browser.

Leaderboard scores

When the leaderboard is available, signed-in players can save daily puzzle times, with hints shown beside each score.

Once the rules feel natural, the strategy guide shows how to read the clue, find the spangram sooner and bank hints.

Frequently asked questions

Can words go diagonally?

Yes. Any two touching letters connect, including diagonal neighbors, but a word cannot use the same cell twice.

What is the spangram?

It is the one answer that names the theme. It is 8 to 16 letters long, touches two opposite edges of the grid and turns gold when you find it.

How do I get a hint?

Find three different dictionary words of four or more letters that are not theme answers. Each set of three earns one hint, which outlines the cells of an answer you have not found.

Do I have to use every letter?

Yes. The theme answers and the spangram cover all 48 letters without overlapping, so a finished board has no letters left over.

Which games count for the leaderboard?

Only the daily puzzle, saved while signed in, with every answer found and a time of at least 4.8 seconds. Unlimited and library boards cannot enter the daily rankings.