{
  "id": 16022287,
  "title": "How to play Strands: Sports Edition, step-by-step",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/22/how-to-play-strands-sports-edition-step-by-step",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-22T09:16:05.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/play-strands-sports-edition-step-091605925.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Strands: Sports Edition is a new daily game from The Athletic that offers an engaging puzzling experience. It is easy to learn and can be enjoyed by gamers of all skill levels. To get started, you will be presented with a 48-letter grid arranged in six columns and eight rows. Your task is to form words, some of which will reveal the puzzle's theme terms. One special term, called the \"spangram,\" should touch opposite sides of the board. When you find all the theme terms, they will use all 48 letters exactly once, and you will have won the game.\n\nWhen you first see the Hint button, it will be grayed out. Clicking on the question mark in the upper right-hand corner will provide you with game instructions and feedback submission options. Words in Strands: Sports Edition are made up of adjacent letters, and you can form them by dragging your finger or tapping each letter individually. Submitting a word will either give you hints or reveal a thematic answer.\n\nTheme terms can be single words or short phrases and may even include proper names. Spelling is crucial, so make sure you have the correct letters in the correct order, especially when entering names. Theme terms may also cross themselves, which can make puzzles more challenging. The spangram, a special term, must touch opposite sides of the board and will describe the puzzle's theme. Finding theme terms and the spangram will help you progress in the game and improve your word-searching skills.",
  "summary": "Strands: Sports Edition, our newest daily game offering at The Athletic, is a fun and easy-to-learn puzzler that we hope earns a spot in your regular rotation. We have plenty of reasons to make that case, but the best way to make the judgment for yourself is to play it. You can play today’s puzzle here. If you want some help getting started, keep reading. Whether you’re a newbie or an experienced…",
  "key_points": [
    "Strands: Sports Edition is a daily puzzle game from The Athletic",
    "Players form words in a 48-letter grid, revealing theme terms",
    "Spangram must touch opposite sides of the board to win"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The introduction of this themed word game expands The Athletic's interactive offerings by providing readers with a daily mental challenge designed to sharpen word-searching skills through sports-related puzzles.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}