Stuck on Strands? Here are the constellations you need to know for today's star-themed puzzle

We’re here to help you reach for the stars and complete the NYT Strands puzzle for today, April 25, 2025.

Fans of word puzzles like Wordle or Connections definitely have to give Strands a go. In this game, you’re presented with a jumbled grid of letters where you must join them together to create words all linked to one topic know as the spangram – one or two words that span from opposite sides of the grid to reveal the puzzle’s theme.

Today’s theme hint is “It’s in the stars” and there are seven theme words to be found, plus the spangram. If you’re a bit stumped with Strands, then these constellations will help shine some light on the problem.

Spoiler warning: Below there will be information about today’s New York Times Strands puzzle.

Ursa Major

an illustration of stars in the night sky

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The largest constellation in the Northern Hemisphere is the aptly named Ursa Major constellation: the Great Bear. Here you’ll be able to spot one of the most recognizable collection of stars in the sky, the Big Dipper. Throughout history it’s been used as a compass, a clock, a calendar and even a ruler … and now it’ll help you solve today’s NYT Strands puzzle.

Orion

an illustration of stars in the night sky

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Orion, the “Hunter” constellation, can be seen in both the Northern and Southern hemisphere thanks to its location on the celestial equator. Your eyes will be drawn here to Rigel (Beta Orionis) and Betelgeuse (Alpha Orionis), two of the brightest stars in the sky.

Image of the Strands puzzle from The New York Times

The NYT Strands puzzle for April 25, 2025. (Image credit: New York Times)

Cygnus

an illustration of stars in the night sky

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One of the most beautiful constellations in the sky is the celestial swan, Cygnus. The Milky Way galaxy runs through Cygnus and is easy to find thanks to the shape of the Northern Cross at its center. Cygnus is also notable for containing Cygnus X-1, the first known black hole.

Centaurus

an illustration of stars in the night sky

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Alpha Centauri, the nearest star system to our solar system, can be found here in this constellation. Centaurus is named for the mythical half-man, half-horse creature, the Centaur. There is also one other centaur star pattern found in our night sky: Sagittarius, the Archer.

Virgo

an illustration of stars in the night sky

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There are twelve constellations of the zodiac and Virgo is the largest of them. In fact, it’s the second-largest constellation in the sky. Virgo means “virgin” or “maiden” in Latin.

Crux

an illustration of stars in the night sky

(Image credit: grebeshkovmaxim/Getty Images)

Within the constellation Crux is an asterism called the Southern Cross. Throughout history this has been an essential guide for navigators as two of its major stars (Gacrux and Acrux) line up to point towards the South Pole.

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