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NYT Strands Answer & Hints — “What a workout”, January 1, 2025

Stuck on the January 1, 2025 NYT Strands puzzle? Here are progressive hints and the full answer for the “What a workout” puzzle (Strands #1 of 509 in our archive). Every reveal is hidden by default — click to open the ones you need.

Spoiler warning. The answers below are for the January 1, 2025 NYT Strands puzzle. Scroll past this section if you want to solve it yourself first.
Hint 1: The themeReveal

The theme for the January 1, 2025 NYT Strands puzzle is “What a workout”. Every theme word and the spangram connects back to this phrase, so think about what related words might fit a 6×8 grid of 48 letters before you start scanning.

Hint 2: Spangram length and first letterReveal

The spangram for the “What a workout” puzzle is 8 letters long and starts with the letter E. It touches two opposite edges of the grid, as every NYT Strands spangram does.

Hint 3: How many theme wordsReveal

Besides the spangram, the January 1, 2025 NYT Strands puzzle has 7 theme words. Together with the spangram, they use every letter on the 6×8 grid exactly once.

Answer: Full spangramReveal

The spangram for the January 1, 2025 NYT Strands “What a workout” puzzle is EXERCISE. It spans two opposite edges of the 6×8 grid and captures the theme directly.

Answer: All theme wordsReveal

Here are the 7 theme words for the January 1, 2025 NYT Strands “What a workout” puzzle:

  • BURPEE
  • CRUNCH
  • DEADLIFT
  • LUNGE
  • PLANK
  • SITUP
  • SQUAT

Plus the spangram EXERCISE, that’s every word on the grid — all 48 letters accounted for.

Answers for the January 1, 2025 NYT Strands puzzle. Strands Unlimited is an independent fan archive — today's NYT Strands is free on nytimes.com/games/strands.

About the "What a workout" NYT Strands puzzle

"What a workout" is the kind of Strands theme that makes you smile once you figure it out. The phrase works on two levels, and the spangram clarifies which one the puzzle is actually about. This arts & culture puzzle is built around wordplay, so approach the grid with an open mind — the theme words might not be what you first expect from reading the title alone.

At 7 theme words, this is one of the denser puzzles in the archive. The grid is packed, so words will be closer together. With 8 letters, the spangram is mid-length — long enough to stand out in the grid but still requiring careful scanning to trace from edge to edge. Originally published on a Wednesday, Puzzle #1 is from the early days of the Strands archive — one of the original puzzles that established the game's style.

#1
Puzzle Number
7
Theme Words
8
Spangram Letters
Medium
Difficulty

How to approach "What a workout"

  • This theme contains wordplay — don't take it at face value. Think about alternative meanings and which interpretation the hidden words might support.
  • There are 7 theme words packed into this grid. Try to find 2-3 shorter words first to free up space and make the remaining words easier to trace.
  • Theme words can bend and curve in any direction, including diagonals. They don't follow straight lines like a traditional word search — trace paths that zigzag across the grid.
All NYT Strands answersNext

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Strands Unlimited is an independent fan archive of past Strands puzzles. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by The New York Times Company. NYT Strands is a trademark of The New York Times Company. Today's daily puzzle is free at nytimes.com/games/strands.