Today's NYT Strands is live for Friday, July 24, 2026 (Puzzle #873). Stuck on today's Strands? We've got progressive hints, from gentle nudges to full solutions, so you can solve at your own pace.
How Strands Works (New Players Start Here)
Strands hides themed words inside a 6x8 letter grid. Your mission: find every word connected to the day's theme. Letters link in any direction (horizontal, vertical, diagonal) and words can twist and turn. Every letter gets used exactly once.
The spangram is the key word or phrase that captures the theme and stretches across the entire board, touching opposite edges.
Need a boost? Find any 4+ letter word (even non-theme words) three times, and the game reveals a hint highlighting theme word letters.
Theme Decoder
Today's Theme Prompt: "There's more where that came from"
What It Really Means
You are hunting for words that describe an amount or item beyond what is needed, expected, or already accounted for.
Think About...
- More than the situation calls for.
- Something held back for a later need.
- What remains after the main portion is handled.
Spangram Clues
Orientation: Left to right across the board
Letter Count: 11 letters
Starting Zone: Row 1, letter 1
Progressive Spangram Hints
Hint 1 (Gentle): Think of a familiar expression that promises the stated amount plus something beyond it.
Hint 2 (Warmer): The expression often follows an impressive number or achievement to emphasize that even more was included.
Hint 3 (Almost There): First letter is A, last letter is E
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ANDTHENSOME
Word-by-Word Hints
Solve as many as you can before peeking. Each word includes escalating clues.
Word 1
Vague: More than a limit or need permits.
Closer: Think of quantity beyond an acceptable limit, as with overindulgence or overproduction.
Letter Clue: Starts with E, 6 letters total
Answer
EXCESS
Word 2
Vague: An addition beyond the standard amount.
Closer: This is the add-on you receive or pay for beyond a basic package.
Letter Clue: Starts with E, 5 letters total
Answer
EXTRA
Word 3
Vague: What remains after the main portion has been taken.
Closer: This describes the food still in the serving dish after dinner.
Letter Clue: Starts with L, 8 letters total
Answer
LEFTOVER
Word 4
Vague: Kept available for a future need.
Closer: A backup tire kept for a roadside emergency fits this description.
Letter Clue: Starts with S, 5 letters total
Answer
SPARE
Word 5
Vague: An amount above what demand requires.
Closer: This is stock remaining when supply exceeds demand.
Letter Clue: Starts with S, 7 letters total
Answer
SURPLUS
Word 6
Vague: Still untouched and never put to work.
Closer: An item still in pristine condition because nobody has put it into service fits this clue.
Letter Clue: Starts with U, 6 letters total
Answer
UNUSED
Full Answers
Spangram: ANDTHENSOME
Theme Words:
- EXCESS
- EXTRA
- LEFTOVER
- SPARE
- SURPLUS
- UNUSED
Puzzle Debrief
Difficulty Rating: Medium, the shared idea emerges quickly, but six closely related answers can be difficult to separate in the grid.
Trickiest Word: SPARE is the trickiest word because its meanings include a backup item, available time, a lean appearance, and an act of mercy, while only the first two senses align neatly with the theme.
Our Take: ANDTHENSOME captures the theme with a lively idiom, while EXCESS, EXTRA, LEFTOVER, SPARE, SURPLUS, and UNUSED explore distinct shades of having more than the immediate situation requires. The close semantic overlap makes the concept accessible and the grid work satisfyingly less obvious.
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