NYT Strands is the new obsession for word puzzle lovers. This game is a captivating hunt for a secret theme hidden in a chaotic grid. If today’s puzzle has you stumped, don’t worry—we’ve got the clues and answers you need to solve the mystery. Here is “Ode to joy” Today’s NYT Strands #690 Hints and Answers for January 22, 2026
“Ode to joy” NYT Strands #690 Hints for January 22, 2026
Here are today’s NYT Strands hints for you.
Today’s NYT Strand’s theme is: “Ode to joy.“
While many words may reveal themselves to you, the game’s objective is to find words related to the day’s theme.
Click here to reveal hints for today’s NYT Strands Answers
- Strands hint No. 1: One of the words is a common “state of being” that rhymes with a popular musical form.
- Strands hint No. 2: The Spangram uses a numerical idiom to describe a place or feeling of supreme bliss.
- Strands hint No. 3: SE, BL, RH, EC, EL, AI
You don’t need another hint for today’s Strands answers.
Today’s NYT Strands #690 Answer for January 22, 2026
Click here to reveal all the words plus the spangram word.
- Spangram word – SEVENTHHEAVEN
- Remaining words: Bliss, Rhapsody, Ecstasy, Elation, Euphoria
Today’s Strands is a literal “mood booster”! I found the vocabulary choice here to be quite sophisticated—it moves beyond simple “joy” or “happy” and asks you to look for more evocative, multi-syllabic terms. The Spangram is particularly satisfying to find because it stretches across the grid in a way that mirrors its expansive meaning. You might find yourself stuck on the more technical-sounding terms for happiness, but once you connect a few of the more common “E” words, the rest of the board starts to radiate that positive energy. I’d rate it 3.5 out of 5.
Click here to reveal today’s NYT Strands Answers puzzle image.
How did you like today’s NYT Strands puzzle? Easy, hard, or meh?
You can also check out today’s answers for other NYT puzzles :
- NYT Wordle Answers
- NYT Spelling Bee Answers
- NYT PIPS Answers
- NYT Connections Answers
- NYT Mini Crossword Answers
NYT Strands Rules
NYT Strands is a word game that is played on a 6×8 letter grid containing seemingly random letters. Each letter must be used in some way so that when all the words have been found, the board is full, leaving no letter unused.
Each puzzle has a theme, but you don’t know what the theme is. A hint is provided at the start of the game. You must guess all the common theme-related words that have something in common, leading to the Spangram.
Spangram is a special challenge word or base of the theme. All the words, when solved, are denoted in blue except the Spangram, which is denoted in yellow when guessed correctly and touches two ends of the board, side to side or top to bottom. Spangram denotes what’s common between all the other words on the board.
Note: Players can find non-theme words to earn hints. Every 3 non-theme words will unlock a hint.
