Looking for the most recent Strands answer? Click here for our daily Strands hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s NYT Strands puzzle has a neat theme, though it took me a while to hunt down some of the answers. If you need hints and answers, read on.

I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story. If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So Far

Hint for today’s Strands puzzle

Today’s Strands theme is: Be my guest

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: Come on in!

Clue words to unlock in-game hints

Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:

• PITA, COME, TAIL, BRACE, REEL, CARE, VERSE, BRAT, SLEW, GRIT

Answers for today’s Strands puzzle

These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you have all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers:

• GREET, SERVE, INVITE, EMBRACE, RECEIVE, WELCOME

Today’s Strands spangram

Today’s Strands spangram is HOSPITALITY. To find it, look for the H that’s two letters from the right and six down, and make an oval.

Gears of War is one of the most iconic Xbox series, spawning sequels, spin-offs and books. I fell in love with the series almost 20 years ago when the original landed on the Xbox 360. Microsoft brought the remastered edition of the game, called Gears of War: Reloaded, to Xbox Game Pass and I can’t wait to play it.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, a CNET Editors’ Choice award pick, offers hundreds of games you can play on your Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Amazon Fire TV, smart TV and PC or mobile device for $20 a month. A subscription gives you access to a large library of games, with new ones, like Doom: The Dark Ages, added monthly, plus other benefits such as online multiplayer and deals on non-Game Pass titles.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source on Chrome.

Here are the games Microsoft added to Game Pass recently. You can also check out other games the company added to the service recently, like Assassin’s Creed Mirage.

Gears of War: Reloaded

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can play now.

The Gears series is back with a new, remastered edition of the original iconic game. This game tells the story of Marcus Fenix and his thick-necked squad as they take on the alien locust hordes. It includes a bonus campaign act, every multiplayer map and mode, plus characters and cosmetics unlocked through progression. 

This game is also on PlayStation 5 and PC, and thanks to cross-play functionality, you can play with and against your friends on those platforms.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can play now.

Step into the enchanted world of Thedas, a land full of untamed wilderness, glittering cities and strife. A pair of corrupt ancient gods has broken out of their cosmic prison and is wreaking havoc across the globe. It’s up to you to gather a team and stop them, but that’s just the main quest. You can also embark on side quests and companion quests that shed light on who they are and how the world is changing around you. Veilguard changes the Dragon Age formula with a more action-oriented approach, although it retains familiar aspects like branching dialog choices and skill trees. So get ready to dive into a wild adventure, make friends and become a legend.

Herdling

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can play now.

Get ready for a grand alpine adventure as you shepherd some giant Calicorns — which look like Appa from Avatar: The Last Airbender — up into a mountain pass. You’ll encounter eerie dangers, puzzles and more on your adventure. And before you ask, yes, you can pet these wonderful creatures.

Blacksmith Master (game preview)

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can play now.

Adventuring in a medieval world can be fun and challenging but it can also be difficult work. If you’d rather run and manage a shop in a medieval setting, give Blacksmith Master a try. You run your own forge and have to manage resource acquisition, production and sale of goods. You’ll build your own forge, craft everything from utensils to weapons and become one of the most skilled craftsmen in the kingdom — all without fighting dragons or other dangerous creatures.

Void/Breaker (PC)

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can play now.

You’re trapped by a ruthless AI in an endless loop where you’re forced to fight hostile enemies, die and then repeat. In this rogue-like game, each time you die, you’ll face new challenges. Fast gunplay, quick movements and all-out destruction are your friends in this adrenaline-filled adventure. Who knows? Maybe you’ll get out one day.

Goat Simulator Remastered

New for Game Pass Standard subscribers.

Chaos. That’s the best way to describe this game. You play as a goat and your mission is the total destruction of everything in sight. Can’t stand the look of that car? Run it off the road. Don’t like the town hall’s placement? Demolish it. Want that kid’s ice cream? Eat it. Do what you want in this sandbox-style game where anything is possible. 

Game Pass Ultimate subscribers got access to this game in November and Game Pass Standard subscribers can get in on the fun soon, too.

Persona 4 Golden

Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass and Game Pass Standard subscribers can play now.

A string of serial murders set this game in motion, where you’ll travel between the real world and the world within TVs as you try and find out who — or what — is behind the murders. You’ll explore your town and carry on daily activities, as well as travel to the TV World to explore different dungeons and battle monsters in this RPG.

Games that left Game Pass

While Microsoft added those games to Game Pass, the company also removed five others from the service. So you’ll have to to buy these games separately now if you want to finish up your campaign or any side quests.

• Ben 10: Power Trip
• Borderlands 3
• Paw Patrol Mighty Pups Save Adventure Bay
• Sea of Stars
• This War of Mine: Final Cut

For more on Xbox, discover other games available on Game Pass now, read our hands-on review of the gaming service and learn which Game Pass plan is right for you. You can also check out what to know about upcoming Xbox game price hikes.