Strands #553 is live, and if you’re chasing your streak, here’s a concise guide with gentle nudges before the full spoilers. You can play the daily puzzle on the official Strands page. Testers rated today’s grid “easy,” as noted in the day’s Sidekick post. If your app shows a different puzzle number, use the Sidekick index to jump to the right day.

Today’s theme (no spoilers)

Theme: Coming of age.

Extra nudge: Think of a specific religious coming‑of‑age ceremony and the elements around it.

Answers (spoilers below)

There are seven theme entries today, including the spangram. Stop here if you want to keep solving unaided.

  • Spangram: BAR MITZVAH
  • Theme words: LCHAIM, PARTY, RABBI, SYNAGOGUE, THIRTEEN, TORAH

How Strands works, in brief

  • Words can connect in any direction and can change direction mid‑path.
  • Every letter on the board is used exactly once across the theme words and the spangram.
  • Find three valid non‑theme words (four letters or more) to earn a hint that highlights a theme word’s letters.
  • The spangram captures the theme in one entry and spans across the board.

For broader strategy around scanning patterns, managing hints, and reading boards efficiently, see the official tips and tricks.

Difficulty and timing

Paid testers marked today’s puzzle as “easy” on the Sidekick page. Strands typically releases at midnight in your time zone; if you end up on the wrong daily guide, the Sidekick index lets you switch to the correct post for your puzzle number.