The daily word puzzle Strands, available on the New York Times website and NYT Games app, is trending today as players try to solve the latest grid. The May 28, 2026, puzzle, titled "Talking scents", challenges players to find words related to aromatic oils and scents, specifically ingredients found in high-end colognes and perfumes.
The goal of Strands is to identify a "spangram" and several theme words within a 6x8 grid of letters. The spangram explains the theme, and all answers match it. For May 28th, the spangram is FRAGRANCE, running vertically along the grid. The theme words for today are SANDALWOOD, PEAR, MUSK, NEROLI, JASMINE, and BERGAMOT.
Unlike some other word games, Strands doesn't penalize incorrect guesses. Entering non-theme words helps players earn hints to reveal the locations of theme words. Players can also play unlimited puzzles for free.
