This page contains Strands hints and answers for puzzle #774. Click on each group depending if you want to reveal the words you can use to get a hint; the theme words; or the spangram.
You can also use our board clues if you wish to see the first letter of each theme word, and the direction in which that word travels. You can also see the first and last letter of the spangram and where it is placed on the board.
WARNING: Spoilers ahead on click!!!
Hints and answers for today’s Strands
Board clues
Reveal the starting letter of each theme word and the direction in which the theme word travels. You can also click to reveal the first and last letter of the Spangram on the board below.
Today there are 5 theme words and the Spangram.
About NYT Strands
Strands is one of the newer additions to the NYT Games collection, having launched in 2024. It sits somewhere between a word search and Connections. It is familiar enough to pick up in seconds but tricky enough to hold your attention long after you planned to stop.
The puzzle’s signature feature is the Spangram: a word or phrase that spans the full grid and captures the day’s theme. Unlike the theme words, which can be found in any order, the Spangram is the puzzle’s spine. Most experienced players hunt for it first, using it to carve the board into manageable sections.
What separates Strands from a classic word search is that every letter on the board belongs somewhere. There’s no filler, no leftover tiles. If a letter that doesn’t fit your current word almost certainly belongs to another one.
If you enjoy Strands, the NYT Games app also offers Wordle, Connections, the Mini Crossword, and Spelling Bee.