It is Tuesday, Strands January 13, 2026, and the New York Times has delivered another chilly challenge for word game enthusiasts. If you are stuck staring at today’s letter grid, you aren’t alone. The theme is deceptive, and finding the Spangram requires a bit of literal thinking.
Today’s Theme: You Need to Chill
The theme for today is “You need to chill.”
At first glance, you might think this puzzle refers to relaxation techniques, spa days, or meditation. However, in the world of Strands, themes are often puns or literal instructions.
Hint:Â Don’t think about calming down; think about temperature. Specifically, think about a specific appliance in your kitchen where you store things for a long time. If you leave these items out on the counter, they will ruin!
The Spangram Hint
The Spangram is the unique word (or phrase) that spans from one edge of the board to the other, describing the category of all the other words.
Today’s Spangram is two words combined. It describes the state of matter for every item on your list.
Spangram Answer: FROZENFOODS
Full List of Answers for Jan. 13, 2026
Once you realize we are digging through the icebox, the words become much easier to spot. Here is the complete list of answers found in the grid today:
- PIZZAÂ (A Friday night staple often found in a cardboard box in the icebox)
- SHERBETÂ (A fruity, icy dessert)
- POPSICLESÂ (A stick-based treat for hot days)
- WAFFLESÂ (A quick toaster breakfast)
- VEGETABLESÂ (The healthy bag of peas or corn you save for stir-fry)
When you combine these with the Spangram FROZENFOODS, you will have cleared the board and solved the puzzle!
Analysis of Today’s Puzzle
This puzzle was a fun play on words. “You need to chill” was a direct reference to the temperature required to keep these items edible. The inclusion of VEGETABLES was likely the trickiest word to find due to its length, while PIZZA and WAFFLES were likely the first words players spotted, giving away the culinary nature of the theme.
If you are looking for more word game fun or want to try different puzzle varieties, you can visit Shrinkle for more challenges.
Improving Your Strands Strategy
If you struggled with today’s board, remember to look for “clusters” of related letters. For example, seeing a ‘Z’ usually narrows down your options significantly (leading you quickly to PIZZA).
Also, don’t forget to review how past puzzles were solved to understand the logic of the NYT editors. You can check out the strategies used in the NYT Strands Today January 11 2026 archive to see how themes have evolved over the last few days.
Good luck solving, and stay cool!