Key Highlights
- Tuesday’s NYT Strands puzzle focuses on “Formidable flock,” seeking large and impressive birds.
- The spangram “BIGBIRDS” ties together theme words like RHEA, CONDOR, OSTRICH, PELICAN, PENGUIN, and CASSOWARY.
- Themes include flightless birds, large flying species, and notable physical characteristics or cultural significance.
- The puzzle is rated moderate in difficulty with the trickiest word being CASSOWARY.
NYT Strands Puzzles: Unraveling the “Formidable Flock”
Today’s NYT Strands puzzle, themed around “Formidable flock,” is live for Monday, February 2, 2026. You might think this is new, but…
The Spangram and Theme Words
The spangram “BIGBIRDS” serves as the key to solving today’s puzzle. You need to find words like RHEA (a large flightless bird from South America), CONDOR (one of the world’s largest flying birds with a huge wingspan), OSTRICH (the world’s largest living bird, known for its speed and powerful legs), PELICAN (a large water bird with an expandable bill), and PENGUIN (a flightless bird adapted to cold climates). CASSOWARY, another large, flightless bird from Australia and New Guinea, is the trickiest word. It’s less common compared to others and its 9-letter length makes it harder to spot.
Theme Decoder: Large Birds
The theme “Formidable flock” means you’re looking for large, impressive birds that command attention with their size, presence, or reputation. Think about flightless birds like ostriches and emus, massive vultures, and other large flying species known for their imposing appearance.
How to Solve
Solving NYT Strands is an engaging process where you find words connected to the theme in any direction—horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. Each letter gets used exactly once. Find a 4+ letter word three times, and the game reveals a hint highlighting theme word letters.
Expert Take
A solid ornithology-themed puzzle, NYT Strands delivers exactly what it promises with a mix of flightless birds and large flying species. The variety is good, but some players might struggle with less common entries like CASSOWARY. The spangram “BIGBIRDS” ties everything neatly together.
So, are you ready to tackle the formidable flock? Set us as your preferred source in Google Search/News by clicking the button and get started today!
