NYT Strands Unveils “In Stitches” Theme in Saturday Puzzle

NYT Games released the September 6, 2025 edition of Strands today, challenging solvers nationwide with a needlecraft theme centered on items knitted or sewn at home. The puzzle’s spangram, KNITTING PROJECT, ran vertically through the grid, framing five related theme words.

In a daily twist on word-search puzzles, NYT Strands tasks players with connecting letters in a 6x8 grid to reveal words sharing a common theme. Saturday’s edition spotlighted handcrafted fabric items, tapping into the popularity of DIY knitting and sewing among home-based crafters.

Today’s puzzle comprised six answers:

• SOCKS
• BLANKET
• BOOTIES
• MITTENS
• SWEATER
• KNITTING PROJECT (spangram)

Solvers earned in-game hints by uncovering non-theme words-every three discovered words of four letters or more unlocked a theme-word hint. According to early difficulty ratings, the “In stitches” puzzle ranked on the simpler end of the scale, with many players completing it in under five minutes.

The spangram’s fifteen letters traced a straight vertical path from the top to bottom edges of the board, starting at column 5. This placement guided players toward finding smaller theme words by eliminating intersecting letters. Strands author and NYT puzzle editor credited the grid’s design for blending straightforward connections with just enough complexity to engage newcomers and veteran enthusiasts alike.

As part of NYT Games’ expanding puzzle library, Strands has attracted word-game fans seeking depth beyond Wordle and Connections. By pairing thematic hints with letter-link strategies, Strands encourages both casual play and methodical solving. Saturday’s “In stitches” edition underscores the game’s ability to spotlight niche interests-today, the art of knitting-through its signature spangram format.

New Strands puzzles appear daily at midnight local time. Tomorrow’s edition promises a fresh theme and spangram for players eager to test their word-search prowess.