Today's NYT Strands is live for Friday, January 16, 2026 (Puzzle #684). Stuck on today's Strands? We've got progressive hints, from gentle nudges to full solutions, so you can solve at your own pace.
How Strands Works (New Players Start Here)
Strands hides themed words inside a 6x8 letter grid. Your mission: find every word connected to the day's theme. Letters link in any direction (horizontal, vertical, diagonal) and words can twist and turn. Every letter gets used exactly once.
The spangram is the key word or phrase that captures the theme and stretches across the entire board, touching opposite edges.
Need a boost? Find any 4+ letter word (even non-theme words) three times, and the game reveals a hint highlighting theme word letters.
Theme Decoder
Today's Theme Prompt: "DC crusader"
What It Really Means
You're looking for characters, locations, and elements from the Batman universe in DC Comics.
Think About...
- Batman's allies and enemies
- Iconic locations from Gotham City
- Key concepts and themes from the Batman mythos
Spangram Clues
Orientation: Horizontal
Letter Count: 6 letters
Starting Zone: Fourth row
Progressive Spangram Hints
Hint 1 (Gentle): The central figure of today's theme
Hint 2 (Warmer): The Dark Knight himself
Hint 3 (Almost There): First letter is B, last letter is N
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BATMAN
Word-by-Word Hints
Solve as many as you can before peeking. Each word includes escalating clues.
Word 1
Vague: Batman's most trusted partner
Closer: The Boy Wonder
Letter Clue: Starts with R, 5 letters total
Answer
ROBIN
Word 2
Vague: Batman's arch-nemesis
Closer: The Clown Prince of Crime
Letter Clue: Starts with J, 5 letters total
Answer
JOKER
Word 3
Vague: Part of Batman's iconic costume
Closer: What billows behind him as he moves
Letter Clue: Starts with C, 4 letters total
Answer
CAPE
Word 4
Vague: Another classic Batman villain
Closer: Known for his formal attire and umbrella weapons
Letter Clue: Starts with P, 7 letters total
Answer
PENGUIN
Word 5
Vague: A driving force behind Batman's mission
Closer: What he seeks for his parents' murder
Letter Clue: Starts with V, 9 letters total
Answer
VENGEANCE
Word 6
Vague: A key location in Batman's story
Closer: Where Bruce Wayne grew up
Letter Clue: Starts with M, 5 letters total
Answer
MANOR
Word 7
Vague: The ideal Batman fights for
Closer: What he hopes to bring to Gotham
Letter Clue: Starts with J, 7 letters total
Answer
JUSTICE
Full Answers
Spangram: BATMAN
Theme Words:
- ROBIN
- JOKER
- CAPE
- PENGUIN
- VENGEANCE
- MANOR
- JUSTICE
Puzzle Debrief
Difficulty Rating: Moderate
Trickiest Word: VENGEANCE (9 letters makes it the longest word and requires careful pathfinding)
Our Take: A solid Batman-themed puzzle that covers the essentials - heroes, villains, locations, and core concepts. The spangram placement is straightforward, but VENGEANCE's length and MANOR's positioning provide just enough challenge to keep things interesting without being frustrating.
