So, you’re stuck. It happens to the best of us. You open up the NYT Games app, see that grid of letters staring back at you, and suddenly your brain decides it has forgotten every word in the English language. We’ve all been there. Solving the Strands clues for today isn't just about having a massive vocabulary; it’s about training your eyes to see patterns in a mess of "spaghetti" letters that don't initially make sense.
Today is January 18, 2026. If you’re playing this specific puzzle, you’re likely looking for that "aha!" moment where the theme finally clicks. Strands is fundamentally different from Wordle or Connections. In Wordle, you have a narrow path. In Connections, you’re grouping. But Strands? It’s a literal scavenger hunt where the board changes as you go.
The Theme and the Spangram for Jan 18
The theme hint for today is "In the Fold." When you first see that, your mind might jump to a few different places. Are we talking about laundry? Or maybe something more clandestine, like a "fold" in a spy organization? Or perhaps it’s paper? NYT likes to be cheeky. They often pick themes that have double meanings to lead you down a rabbit hole of wrong guesses before you find the actual path.
If you are hunting for the Spangram—that yellow word that touches two opposite sides of the grid—think about things that require folding as a primary function.
Honestly, the Spangram is usually the hardest part to find first, but it's the most rewarding because it highlights the entire board's logic. For today, the Spangram is ORIGAMI.
Once you see that, everything else should start to fall into place. But wait. Don't just rush in. If you haven't found it yet, look for the letters O, R, I, G, A, M, and I stretching across the center or vertically. It’s the backbone of the puzzle. Without it, you're just clicking random four-letter words that give you hint points but don't actually clear the board.
Breaking Down Today's Theme Words
Since the theme is Origami, the words you’re looking for are all related to things you can make by folding paper. It’s a very tactile theme.
Let's look at the specific words hidden in the grid:
CRANE
This is the classic. If you know anything about origami, you know the paper crane. It’s usually the first word people find because it’s such a staple of the craft. Look for the 'C' near the edges.
SWAN
Similar to the crane but slightly different positioning. It’s a shorter word, which can actually make it harder to find because short words blend into the "noise" of the surrounding letters.
FROG
You might remember these from elementary school—the little green paper things you could tap to make them jump. If you see an 'F' and an 'R' near each other, trace the path to see if 'O' and 'G' follow.
FLOWER
This one is a bit longer. It might curve around a corner. The NYT editors love to make the longer words snake through the grid to use up the "junk" letters.
PLANE
Simple. Basic. We’ve all made one. In the context of Strands clues for today, "Plane" is one of those words that feels almost too easy, which is why you might overlook it while searching for something more complex like "Pentagon" or "Dodecahedron" (which, let's be real, wouldn't fit anyway).
BUTTERFLY
This is the big one. Usually, there's one word in Strands that is significantly longer than the others, acting as a secondary anchor to the Spangram.
Why Strands is Taking Over Your Morning Routine
There’s a specific psychology behind why we’re all obsessed with these daily puzzles. It’s the "Zeigarnik Effect." Basically, our brains hate unfinished tasks. When you see that grid with four words left, you can’t just walk away. You’ll find yourself staring at it while waiting for the coffee to brew or sitting in a boring Zoom meeting.
The NYT has mastered the "Goldilocks" zone of difficulty. It’s not so hard that you quit in frustration (usually), but it’s not so easy that it feels mindless. Strands requires a different kind of spatial reasoning than a crossword. You aren't just thinking of definitions; you are physically mapping the board.
I’ve noticed that my strategy has evolved. I used to hunt for the Spangram immediately. Now? I find three or four "junk" words first. Why? Because filling up the hint bar is a safety net. If I get truly stuck on the last two words, I want those hints ready to go. It feels like cheating, but it’s a mechanic built into the game. Use it.
Common Mistakes to Avoid in Today’s Puzzle
One of the biggest pitfalls in the Strands clues for today is overthinking the theme. "In the Fold" is a clever pun, but it’s also very literal. If you started looking for words like "Secret" or "Sheep" (as in a fold of sheep), you’re not alone. The game designers want you to struggle with the ambiguity for the first sixty seconds.
Another mistake is ignoring the corners. In Strands, the corners are almost always part of a word. Very rarely does a corner letter sit unused until the very end. If you see a 'Z', 'Q', or 'X', obviously start there, but even a lonely 'B' or 'W' in a corner is a massive clue.
✨ Don't miss: Dimensional Contract Token Throne and Liberty: How to Stop Wasting Your Dungeon Runs
Trace the edges first. It limits the number of directions a word can go. A letter in the middle of the grid can connect to eight others. A letter in the corner can only connect to three. Use the math to your advantage.
How to Get Better at Strands Over Time
If you want to stop relying on guides like this one, you have to change how you look at the grid.
- Look for letter clusters. In English, certain letters just love being together. 'CH', 'ST', 'TH', and 'ING'. If you see 'ING' in a corner, there is a 90% chance it's the suffix of a longer theme word.
- Don't submit too fast. Sometimes you find a word that is a "valid" English word but isn't a "theme" word. While this earns you hint points, it can actually clutter your vision. Try to see the theme words first.
- Rotate your phone. It sounds silly. It actually works. Changing your physical perspective can help your brain break out of the pattern it's stuck in.
- Say the letters out loud. Sometimes hearing the sounds helps you recognize a word that your eyes are skipping over. "C... R... A... N..." Oh, Crane!
Strands is a game of patience. Some days, the theme clicks in five seconds. Other days, like maybe today, you’re staring at a "Flower" for ten minutes before you realize the 'W' is actually three rows down from where you thought it was.
Actionable Steps for Today's Puzzle
If you are still staring at the screen and haven't finished, here is exactly what you should do right now.
First, locate the word CRANE. It’s usually tucked into a spot where the 'C' and 'R' are easy to spot. Once that’s cleared, look for the Spangram ORIGAMI. It should bisect the board. With those two out of the way, the remaining letters for FROG, SWAN, and PLANE will be much more obvious because the "pathway" of the grid has been narrowed down.
If you are still missing one, check the remaining letters for BUTTERFLY. It’s a long word and likely uses up several letters that seem disconnected.
Don't let the "In the Fold" hint throw you off. It’s a simple puzzle once you realize it's all about paper. Tomorrow’s puzzle will likely be something entirely different—maybe something about anatomy or 90s pop stars—so enjoy the simplicity of the origami theme while it lasts.
Go finish that grid. You've got this. Clear the board, share your results (without spoilers, please, don't be that person), and get on with your Sunday.
Next time you're stuck, remember: corners first, look for the yellow Spangram, and don't be afraid to use a hint if the "In the Fold" puns are getting to be too much.
The best way to improve is to simply keep playing. Every puzzle you solve builds that mental muscle for spatial word recognition. Pretty soon, you’ll be spotting the Spangram before you even find your first theme word. That’s the goal. Until then, keep folding those digital paper words.