Daily New York Times offers cryptic solutions for Saturday's crossword puzzle, dated March 22, 2025.
Strap in, puzzle solvers! 'Cause today's Strands is all about a good roast - not the kind you eat but the laughing kind. If y'all wanna stay updated with Strands hints daily, bookmark this page. You can also find our past puzzles here.
Today, the theme revolves around laughter - some hearty, some more tepid. The spangram is a two-word reflection of those big, uncontrollable chuckles when a joke hits just right. ("That joke had me CRACKING UP!")
Here's a more in-depth look at the mechanics of Strands:
Spangram hint:
The spangram today is vertical, and it's gonna crack you up when you stumble upon it.
Theme word hints:
Some of these words might sound like laughter souped up, like the cheerful giggle, the cackling laugh of an old witch, or the howling guffaws that go along with a really good joke.
Spoilers ahead!
We're about to give away the answers to today's Strands puzzle.
What is the spangram in today's Strands?
C'mon, you already know it - it's CRACKING UP.
What are the theme words in today's Strands?
The theme words today are: GIGGLE, CACKLE, SHRIEK, CHUCKLE, ROAR, LAUGH, HOWL.
Once you crack into the puzzle, the board will look like this:
How I solved today's Strands:
The theme could refer to a big meal or a comedy format, but since LAUGH is along the right edge and GIGGLE is up top, we're going with comedy.
GIGGLE is in the upper left corner. Green checkmark ✅
CHUCKLE is in the upper right corner. Another green checkmark ✅
ROAR fits between CHUCKLE and LAUGH. Yet another green checkmark ✅
I think the spangram is gonna be vertical. But I can't quite see those letters at the top yet.
HOWL is in the bottom right corner. Green checkmark ✅
I see it now: CRACKING UP. Yellow highlight ☉
CACKLE is along the left edge. Green checkmark ✅
Lastly, SHRIEK. Green checkmark ✅
How to play Strands:
Head on over to the New York Times website or the NYT Games app to give Strands a go.
When you start, you'll see a gameboard filled with letters and a clue hinting at the theme - "A Good Roast" in today's case. Your goal is to uncover the hidden words that reflect the puzzle's theme.
A crossword meets a word search
Find the spangram, which will span the entire board and will be highlighted in yellow. Once you find the spangram, it'll make the rest of the puzzle a breeze.
Words can travel any direction - up, down, left, right, or diagonal - and you'll only use each letter once. There's only one correct solution. When you correctly identify a word, it'll be highlighted in blue.
If you're stuck, you can submit any non-theme words you spy (as long as they're four letters or longer) to snag a hint. Submit three non-theme words to activate the Hint button, which will reveal letters in one of the theme words. You'll still need to place them in the correct order to form a theme word.
Winning Strands:
Unlike Crosswords and Wordle, you can't fail Strands - give it a shot with no fear of repercussions! Submit guesses, and you'll either land a theme word, earn hint credit, or watch the board shake like it's had one too many roasts.
You win when you've used all the letters on the board, nabbing the spangram and the theme words. Like other NYT games, once you've solved the puzzle, you'll get a shareable card that shows how you did with blue dots 🔵 for theme words found, a yellow dot ☉ for the spangram, and a lightbulb 💡 for hinted-at words.
Now, don your roasting armor and conquer Strands! Good luck, puzzle pals!
- Today's Strands theme revolves around laughter, reminding us of hearty chuckles and subtle giggles, much like the spangram CRACKING UP that will have you laughing when you find it.
- If you're eager to know the theme words in today's Strands puzzle, they include GIGGLE, CACKLE, SHRIEK, CHUCKLE, ROAR, LAUGH, and HOWL.
- To join the entertainment provided by Strands today, be sure to bookmark this page or visit the New York Times website or NYT Games app to give it a try, starting your search for the hidden words reflecting today's theme - A Good Roast.
