Sunday's NYT Strands puzzle offers a fresh word-search challenge that revolves around uncovering a hidden theme from connected words across the grid.
Identifying the spangram can provide a valuable clue to the puzzle's overall concept, making it easier to spot the remaining themed words.
Use a few spoiler-free hints to guide your progress before revealing the complete list of answers if you get stuck.
The NYT Strands word game may seem a bit daunting in the beginning. When presented with a grid filled with letters all over the place with no clear place to begin, the first attempts will require some patience. However, once you find the theme words, it will become easier to understand what you should do.
The thing that makes Strands different from other games such as Wordle and Connections is that here it is crucial to think thematically and to recognize the common thread linking all the answers.
Once you understand the spangram, it will be much easier for you to see all the rest of the words. You can play NYT Strands either on the New York Times site or app.
A new 6x8 grid containing letters and a brief indication about a recurring topic is shown every day. The task here is to find all terms related to this concept.
Once you find the theme word, it will stay highlighted in blue, making your success more visible. With every correct answer, the problem moves closer to its resolution.
Strands provides flexibility without relying on conjecture:
Letters can join diagonally, vertically, or horizontally.
You can change course in the middle of a word.
In the grid, each letter appears exactly once.
To submit a word on touchscreen devices, double-tap the last letter.
Hints must be earned. The Hint button opens when you find three acceptable four-letter or longer words that are not part of the theme. It gives you a hint without revealing the answer by highlighting the letters of one unexplored theme word.
Also Read: NYT Strands on July 18, 2026: Theme, Spangram, and Winning Strategy
Theme hint: BIG TALK
Here are a few words for in-game additional hints for today:
MOLE, LOUS, MASS, SOOL
Today’s Spangram
The spangram is:
SUPERSIZE IT.
The full set of theme words:
GIANT, BEHEMOTH, LEVIATHAN, MAMMOTH, COLOSSUS
NYT Strands challenges players to reply on observation over speed. The objective is to observe connections, discover patterns, and focus on the relationships between words rather than rushing through the puzzle. Every puzzle solved feels significant, as the spangram acts as the key point tying all these aspects together.
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