Ode to Joy Strands
Definition
The New York Times Strands word puzzle #690, released on January 22, 2026, themed 'Ode to Joy,' where players uncover words expressing intense happiness including bliss, ecstasy, rhapsody, euphoria, elation, and the spangram 'seventh heaven.'
A popular reference to today's NYT Strands puzzle, evoking Beethoven's famous choral finale while challenging solvers with synonyms for euphoria and delight.
Examples
After nailing the Ode to Joy Strands in record time, I floated straight to seventh heaven.
My coffee went cold while I chased bliss in the Ode to Joy Strands—worth every euphoric second.
The Ode to Joy Strands had me in elation until 'rhapsody' hid like a shy cat in ecstasy.
Sharing spoilers for Ode to Joy Strands? That's a crime against puzzle-kind's pure bliss.