The New York Times Strands puzzle for January 11th, 2024, presented a challenge centered around expressions of excitement. Players who struggled can find the solutions below.
Puzzle Theme and Hints
The underlying theme for today’s Strands puzzle is exclamations of joy. The clues given were “Yay!!” and “Happy reactions,” designed to steer players toward words that convey enthusiasm.
Unlocking In-Game Hints
The Strands puzzle rewards progress. Finding any three words with four or more letters triggers the game to reveal a thematic word. For instance, the words HAUTE, PIPE, SOME, HAUT, MEAT, MATE, WHOP, WHOOP were used to unlock hints. However, any valid combination will work.
Complete Answer Set
The full set of answers includes:
- BOOYAH
- HOORAY
- HUZZAH
- YIPPEE
- WHOOPEE
- AWESOME
The spangram (a word that spans the entire grid) for today’s puzzle is THATSGREAT. It begins with the “T” in the top row, third letter from the left, and winds downward.
Puzzle Difficulty
Strands has occasionally featured difficult themes. Previous challenging topics have included outdated slang (like “PHAT”) and specialized terminology (such as marine biology terms like “BALEEN” or “RIGHT”). The game’s difficulty varies, sometimes relying on niche knowledge.
