Strands requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns.

The NYT Mini is a quick and dirty version of the newspaper's larger and long-rumgys, there are between three and five clues in each direction on a five by five grid, but the puzzles are sometimes larger, especially on Saturdays.