Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by the Times. It doesn't show up in the NYT Games app, but appears in The Athletic's own app. Or you can play it for free online.

Strands is a tricky take on the classic word search from NYT Games. If you're stuck and cannot solve today's puzzle, we've got help and hints for you here.

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.