Strands puzzle for April 8, No. 766, may have made players feel sleepy, but the board still demanded a clean solve. The theme was “We’re going under cover,” the clue was “Zzzzz...,” and the spangram was BEDCLOTHES.
BEDCLOTHES is the long theme word that runs from one side of the puzzle to the other, and finding it unlocks the rest of the grid. To trace it, look for the B five letters down on the far-left vertical row and wind across. The daily puzzle also includes nonspangram answers, and once every answer is found, every letter on the board is used.
That is what makes Strands different from a simple word list. It is a daily New York Times puzzle, the number of theme words can vary, and the answers are often difficult to unscramble even when the theme feels obvious. For this one, the cover-all answer fits the clue in a way that is plain once you see it and maddening before you do.
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The same day’s hints and answers also pointed back to three tougher past themes: PHAT for “Dated slang,” BALEEN or RIGHT for “Thar she blows!,” and BIGEYE or SKIPJACK for “Off the hook.” Together, they show how Strands can swing from direct to deceptive without warning. The April 8 puzzle did the same, but BEDCLOTHES gave the game away in the end.
