Welcome to Strands
Trace, connect, discover! Strands is a word puzzle game where you find hidden theme words on a 6×8 letter grid. Trace adjacent letters in any of 8 directions to form words, uncover the special edge-to-edge spangram, and complete the puzzle. With a fresh daily puzzle, 300+ archive levels, 20 achievements, 11 board themes, and a built-in word etymology dictionary, Strands offers a rich and rewarding experience for word game lovers.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. How do I play Strands?
Each puzzle presents a 6×8 grid of letters and a theme hint. Your goal is to find all the hidden theme words by tracing adjacent letters (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally). Drag your finger across connected letters to form a word, then release to submit. Every cell on the grid belongs to exactly one word — there are no leftover letters.
2. What do the colors mean?
When you find a word, the tiles change color to indicate what type of word it is:
- Theme Word: A word that matches the puzzle's theme.
- Spangram: The special word that spans from one edge of the grid to the opposite edge.
- Valid Word: A real English word that isn't part of the theme — find enough of these to earn hints!
3. What is the Spangram?
The spangram is a special 9–10 letter word that connects two opposite edges of the grid (left to right, or top to bottom). It's the "big picture" word that ties the whole theme together. Finding the spangram first is a special achievement!
4. How do hints work?
Every time you find 5 valid non-theme words, you earn one hint. Tapping the hint button reveals the location of one letter from an undiscovered theme word, helping you narrow down your search. A progress ring around the hint button shows how close you are to earning the next hint.
5. What is the Daily Puzzle?
A new puzzle unlocks every day at midnight. Complete it to build your streak! Your progress is automatically saved, so you can close the app and pick up where you left off. A weekly streak strip tracks your daily play habit from Monday through Sunday.
6. What is the Puzzle Archive?
The Archive contains 300+ puzzles you can play anytime. Free users get access to 8 archive puzzles, while Premium subscribers can play all of them. New puzzles are added regularly, so there's always a fresh challenge waiting.
7. What is the Word Dictionary?
Strands features a built-in dictionary with over 1,400 word etymology stories. When you discover a word during a puzzle, its story is automatically saved to your personal collection. Each entry includes an emoji, the word's origin story, and the puzzle where you found it — presented in a beautiful parchment-style design.
8. What achievements can I unlock?
Strands features 20 achievements across multiple categories:
- Milestones: First Steps (1 win), Getting Started (10), Dedicated (50), Strand Master (100)
- Perfect Games: No Hints Needed, Sharp Mind (3 in a row), Brilliant (7 in a row)
- Streaks: On a Roll (3 days), Weekly Warrior (7 days), Monthly Legend (30 days)
- Special: Big Picture (spangram first), Speed Runner (under 2 min), Word Hunter (10+ non-theme words)
- Theme Unlocks: Fresh Look (5 wins), Purple Haze (10), Cherry Blossom (30), Night Owl (50)
9. How do board themes work?
Strands offers 11 board themes with three unlock tiers:
- Free: Classic and Rose Gold — available to everyone from the start.
- Achievement: Mint (5 wins), Lavender (10 wins), Cherry (30 wins), Midnight (50 wins) — earned through gameplay.
- Premium: Ocean, Forest, Sunset, Aurora, Neon — exclusive to Premium subscribers.
Each theme customizes the grid colors, tile borders, selection highlights, and background — in both Light and Dark mode.
10. Does the app support Dark Mode?
Yes! Strands supports Light, Dark, and System appearance modes. You can switch between them in the Settings tab, and every board theme looks great in both modes.
11. Can I share my results?
After completing a puzzle, tap "Share Result" to generate a beautiful share card showing your time, hints used, words found, and whether you achieved a perfect game. Share it with friends via Messages, social media, or any app on your device.
12. How does the app track my statistics?
The Journey tab provides a comprehensive stats dashboard including:
- Overview: Total puzzles played, perfect games, current & longest streak
- Monthly Calendar: Visual history of daily play with perfect game indicators
- Performance: Perfect rate, average hints per game, average & fastest time
- Achievements: Progress tracking across all 20 achievements
- Dictionary: Personal collection of discovered word stories
Tips for Success
- Start with the hint: The theme hint tells you what all the words have in common — use it!
- Look for the spangram: It spans edge-to-edge and usually reveals the core of the theme.
- Try non-theme words: Every 5 valid non-theme words earns you a hint. Don't ignore them!
- Think diagonally: Words can trace in 8 directions, including diagonals. Look beyond rows and columns.
- Use hints wisely: A hint reveals one letter's position — combine it with the theme to narrow your search.
- Go for Perfect: Complete a puzzle without using any hints to earn a star and track your perfect rate.
Contact & Support
Need help or have questions? We're here to assist you.
- Email Support: wuyuping38@gmail.com
- We typically respond within 24–48 hours.
Privacy Policy
- Strands does not collect, share, or sell any personal data.
- All game data, statistics, and progress are stored locally on your device.
- No account or sign-in is required to use the app.
- The app displays ads through Google AdMob. Ad personalization can be controlled through your device settings.
- The app uses Apple's App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework to request your permission before tracking your activity across other companies' apps and websites for personalized advertising. You can allow or deny this request, and change your preference anytime in your device's Settings.
- The app uses Firebase Analytics to collect anonymous usage data (such as feature usage and app performance) to help improve the app experience. No personally identifiable information is collected.
- We do not track your location or access any personal information.
Strands Premium
Upgrade to Premium for the full Strands experience with enhanced features and content.
Premium Benefits
- No Banner Ads: Play without banner advertisements (rewarded ads for hints remain available to all users)
- Full Archive Access: Unlock all 300+ archive puzzles
- Unlimited Dictionary: Save unlimited word stories to your personal collection
- All Board Themes: Access 5 exclusive premium themes (Ocean, Forest, Sunset, Aurora, Neon)
Subscription Terms
- Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase.
- Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period.
- Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period at the same price.
- You can manage and cancel your subscriptions by going to your App Store account settings after purchase.
- Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when you purchase a subscription.
Terms of Service
Usage Terms
- You may use this app for personal, non-commercial purposes.
- You may not reverse engineer, modify, or redistribute the app.
- We reserve the right to modify or discontinue features at any time.
- We reserve the right to update these Terms of Service. Continued use of the app constitutes acceptance of any changes.
Disclaimer
The app is provided "as is" without warranties of any kind, either express or implied. We are not liable for any damages arising from use of the app.
Release Notes
v1.0.0
- Initial release of Strands: Daily Word Game
- 6×8 grid word-tracing puzzle gameplay
- Daily puzzle with streak tracking and weekly calendar
- 300+ archive puzzles with regular updates
- Spangram mechanic — special edge-to-edge theme word
- Hint system — earn hints by finding non-theme words
- 1,300+ word etymology stories with personal dictionary
- 11 board themes (free, achievement-unlocked, and premium)
- 20 unlockable achievements with celebration overlays
- Comprehensive statistics dashboard with monthly calendar
- Beautiful share cards for puzzle results
- Interactive 3-level tutorial
- Light and Dark mode support
- Premium subscription (monthly & yearly)
- Haptic feedback and sound effects