Issue #661 Fri 11 Jul
Strands hints — July 11, 2025
The page is blank until the rhythm arrives. Today’s grid demands a steady hand and an ear for the cadence of the line.
Theme 3 reveals
Today's theme
Ink drying on a fresh sheet, the measured pause between one line and the next, and the specific weight of a well-chosen syllable.
Literary arts and written forms
LITERARY COMPOSITION STYLES
Spangram 4 nudges · 6 letters
The connector word
A single six-letter noun
6 letters.
Starts with P, ends with Y.
POETRY
Group hint 1 reveal
Show all starting letters
Starting letters
- 1 A (8 letters)
- 2 B (6 letters)
- 3 E (5 letters)
- 4 E (4 letters)
- 5 H (5 letters)
- 6 L (8 letters)
- 7 S (6 letters)
Group hint 1 reveal
Show the first two letters of each
First two letters
- 1 AC (8 letters)
- 2 BA (6 letters)
- 3 EL (5 letters)
- 4 EP (4 letters)
- 5 HA (5 letters)
- 6 LI (8 letters)
- 7 SO (6 letters)
Theme word 1 of 7 5 nudges · 8 letters
A theme word
Look to the first letter of every line to reveal the hidden message.
8 letters.
Starts with A.
Starts with AC.
ACROSTIC
Theme word 2 of 7 5 nudges · 6 letters
A theme word
A narrative song passed down through generations, telling of heroes or heartbreak.
6 letters.
Starts with B.
Starts with BA.
BALLAD
Theme word 3 of 7 5 nudges · 5 letters
A theme word
A mournful reflection intended for the departed.
5 letters.
Starts with E.
Starts with EL.
ELEGY
Theme word 4 of 7 5 nudges · 4 letters
A theme word
A long, sweeping narrative concerning grand adventures and legendary figures.
4 letters.
Starts with E.
Starts with EP.
EPIC
Theme word 5 of 7 5 nudges · 5 letters
A theme word
Seventeen syllables spread across three lines, capturing a fleeting moment in nature.
5 letters.
Starts with H.
Starts with HA.
HAIKU
Theme word 6 of 7 5 nudges · 8 letters
A theme word
A lighthearted, five-line work with a distinct AABBA rhyme scheme.
8 letters.
Starts with L.
Starts with LI.
LIMERICK
Theme word 7 of 7 5 nudges · 6 letters
A theme word
Fourteen lines of strict structure, traditionally concluding with a rhyming couplet.
6 letters.
Starts with S.
Starts with SO.
SONNET