Hey there, I’m back with another game of Strands. I have to give it to NYT, they really get my brain to work with these word puzzles. Just when you think the game’s getting easier, boom! They throw a puzzle that, although not difficult, gets you big time. Today’s Strands was one such game. With that said, let’s look at what March 18’s NYT Strands had in store!
What is the Theme for Today’s NYT Strands?
As revealed by the New York Times, the theme for today’s Strands is “World piece”.
Today’s Strands was not as easy as last day’s “Outside interests” theme. Part of the reason being, I couldn’t read between the lines of the pun in the theme. As I say, overthinking in a game of Strands is your worst enemy. You will see what I mean, soon.
Oh, by the way, if you are new to this game, check out our guide on how to play NYT Strands.
Spangram Hint for Today’s Strands
Spoiler Warning #1
Even though we have tried our best to be subtle, the hints below might partially spoil the experience. Proceed with caution.
When it comes to Strands, there are two categories of words in the game. The Spangrams are the ones you should be targeting first since the other regular theme words fall under it directly. Every Strands game has one Spangram that you need to decipher. Think of it as the main theme of sorts.
Uncovering the Spangram as early on as possible makes completing the game easier. The hint for today’s Spangram is “Nature’s geographical characters”.
Theme Words Hints for Today’s Strands
Now, if you have figured out the Spangram from the above hint, figuring out the theme words will understandably be fairly easy. However, I don’t want to ruin it for you. Instead, here are hints to 2 out of 8 theme words that may help you:
- Hint #1: Stay away if you have altitude sickness
- Hint #2: Place where Mirages can be found
Spoiler Warning #2 The next sections reveal the answers for today’s NYT Strands. So, I’d recommend not scrolling further if you are still solving the puzzle. However, if you are stuck, I suggest scrolling a wee bit to see the Spangram answer.
Spangram Answer for NYT Strands on March 18
The Spangram for today’s NYT Strands is TERRAIN.
Alongside the Spangram, you have 7 theme words in today’s puzzle. These theme words are also pretty straightforward. Once you find the Spangram, they will be easy to find.
Anyway, with that being said, let’s go to the next section. However, proceed only if you are ready to take a look at the theme words.
List of Theme Words for NYT Strands on March 18
If you are still reading this, you are probably ready to see the answers. So, let’s take a look at today’s theme words in Strands:
- PLAIN
- MARSH
- MOUNTAIN
- DESERT
- FOREST
- TUNDRA
- SWAMP
Like I said before, overthinking is your worst enemy in Strands. And the theme made me think about the 7 wonders of the world instantly. But, not being able to make any of those in the puzzle grids, I knew I was wrong.
Then, I took a more technical approach and went all geography nerd on the puzzle. Still, from tectonic plates to earth’s layers, none of those words came out of the scrambled letters I saw before me. Yep, it was time for a hint.
Upon filling the hint meter with random unrelated words, I saw PLAIN highlighted in the first column and fifth row from the left. I think I was a real blockhead today, and still couldn’t find the other theme words. I used up another hit and almost rage quit when I saw MARSH highlighted at the grids in the top left corner.
I figured out the rest of the puzzle easily. But, unlike the last two games, I couldn’t spot the Spangram early on. After figuring out MOUNTAIN, DESERT, and FOREST, I was able to spot the side-to-side Spangram for the day – TERRAIN.
It didn’t take me long to spot TUNDRA at the bottom right grids. With the last couple of unsolved grids running across a portion of the Spangram, I found SWAMP and it was game over for the day.
My dream of ending a Strands game without using up any hints remains a dream still. I had to use two hints, and almost rage quite through a rather straightforward puzzle. Lesson learned, and I won’t think too hard at the next one. Only if tomorrow’s NYT Strands is this easy. You never know what’s to come with these games. And that’s probably also why I can’t stop playing them on a daily basis.
What about you? Did you run into those hiccups at today’s Strands as well? How many hints did you use to solve today’s game? Let me know in the comments down below!
