The New York Times Strands puzzle for January 13, #681, challenges players to identify themed words hidden within a letter grid. The theme for today is “You Need to Chill,” centered around frozen foods and cold treats.
Decoding the Puzzle
Strands requires finding interconnected words of four or more letters. Once three such words are discovered, the puzzle reveals a hint related to the overall theme. Useful starting words for today’s puzzle include:
- GONE
- ABLE
- TABLE
- FOOD
- TEEN
- LEAF
- GOOF
- GOOD
- SAFE
Complete Solutions
The non-spangram answers for today’s puzzle are:
- PIZZA
- SHERBET
- POPSICLES
- WAFFLES
- VEGETABLES
The spangram (a word that stretches across the entire grid) is FROZENFOOD. Locate the ‘F’ five letters down on the far-right row and trace backward to unveil this final solution.
Difficulty Trends
Previous Strands puzzles have varied in difficulty. Some of the most challenging themes include dated slang (like the puzzle featuring “PHAT”) and niche topics such as marine biology (with words like “BALEEN” or “RIGHT”). These puzzles test not just vocabulary but also cultural or specialized knowledge.
The puzzle’s difficulty often lies in recognizing the theme itself. Once identified, unscrambling the words becomes more straightforward, though still requiring strategic letter combinations.
