At a Glance
- The January 13, 2026 NYT Strands puzzle centers on frozen foods under the theme “You need to chill”
- Answers include PIZZA, SHERBET, POPSICLES, WAFFLES, VEGETABLES, and the spangram FROZENFOOD
- Players unlock hints by finding any three four-letter-plus words on the board
Why it matters: Puzzle fans hunting for today’s solutions can now clear the board without trial-and-error frustration.
Today’s New York Times Strands puzzle turns the thermostat down, tasking solvers with spotting icy edibles hidden in a 6-by-8 letter grid. Sophia A. Reynolds reported for News Of Losangeles that the theme phrase is “You need to chill,” a playful nudge toward freezer-aisle favorites.
Theme Clues and Unlock Strategy
Strands supplies an optional clue after players find three words of four letters or more. Sophia A. Reynolds used GONE, ABLE, TABLE, FOOD, TEEN, LEAF, GOOF, GOOD, and SAFE to trigger the built-in hint system, but any qualifying string uncovered on the board works the same way.
If the headline hint still feels murky, the article offers a second prompt: “Brrrr!”-a reminder that every answer relates to items best served cold.
Complete Answer List
- PIZZA
- SHERBET
- POPSICLES
- WAFFLES
- VEGETABLES
The spangram-an answer stretching from one edge of the grid to the other-is FROZENFOOD. It starts with the F located five cells down on the far-right column and snakes backward across the board. Once every theme word is circled, every letter is used and the puzzle is complete.
Spangram Path
- Begin at the F, far-right side, fifth row from the top
- Move leftward, looping through the letters to spell F-R-O-Z-E-N-F-O-O-D
- The path finishes on the opposite side, satisfying the spangram rule
## Difficulty Retrospective
While the frozen-food theme plays fair for most solvers, Sophia A. Reynolds has previously flagged several Strands editions as notably tough:
- Dated Slang-toughest entry: PHAT
- Thar She Blows! (marine mammals)-toughest entries: BALEEN or RIGHT
- Off the Hook (tuna varieties)-toughest entries: BIGEYE or SKIPJACK
Today’s freezer-aisle lineup did not make that hardest-hits roster, though unscrambling SHERBET or VEGETABLES from a jumble can still slow players down.
Quick Play Tips
- Scan for common endings such as -S, -ES, or -ED to spot four-letter stems fast
- Remember that diagonal, up, down, and backward moves are all legal
- Use the hint system early; three easy words can reveal a tricky theme entry
- The spangram always touches opposite borders, so start near an edge when you suspect a long answer
Key Takeaways
- The January 13, 2026 Strands solution set is PIZZA, SHERBET, POPSICLES, WAFFLES, VEGETABLES, and FROZENFOOD
- Players can unlock in-game hints by submitting any three four-letter-plus words
- The spangram FROZENFOOD runs from the far-right F backward across the grid
- For daily assistance, News Of Losangeles hosts an ongoing puzzle-hints page covering Strands, Wordle, Connections, and the Mini Crossword
