Today's NYT Strands is live for Wednesday, July 29, 2026 (Puzzle #878). 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: "A made man"
What It Really Means
You are hunting for terms for humanlike forms created by people rather than born.
Think About...
- The playroom shelf.
- Clothing displays after closing time.
- Collectibles, performances, and public monuments.
Spangram Clues
Orientation: Left to right across the board
Letter Count: 10 letters
Starting Zone: Row 5, letter 1
Progressive Spangram Hints
Hint 1 (Gentle): Think about the shared origin of these humanlike forms.
Hint 2 (Warmer): The linking word describes something constructed or manufactured rather than naturally born.
Hint 3 (Almost There): First letter is F, last letter is D
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FABRICATED
Word-by-Word Hints
Solve as many as you can before peeking. Each word includes escalating clues.
Word 1
Vague: A small humanlike plaything.
Closer: This child's toy is often dressed, posed, and given a miniature home.
Letter Clue: Starts with D, 4 letters total
Answer
DOLL
Word 2
Vague: A stand-in used where a real person would be impractical.
Closer: Crash tests and ventriloquist acts both use one.
Letter Clue: Starts with D, 5 letters total
Answer
DUMMY
Word 3
Vague: A small decorative representation of a person or creature.
Closer: This small collectible is often made from ceramic, metal, or resin.
Letter Clue: Starts with F, 8 letters total
Answer
FIGURINE
Word 4
Vague: A silent human-shaped form built for display.
Closer: This full-size retail form wears clothes in a shop window.
Letter Clue: Starts with M, 9 letters total
Answer
MANNEQUIN
Word 5
Vague: A character animated through someone else's movements.
Closer: A hand, strings, or rods control this theatrical character.
Letter Clue: Starts with P, 6 letters total
Answer
PUPPET
Word 6
Vague: A fixed three-dimensional likeness made for viewing.
Closer: This stone or bronze likeness often stands in a plaza or park.
Letter Clue: Starts with S, 6 letters total
Answer
STATUE
Full Answers
Spangram: FABRICATED
Theme Words:
- DOLL
- DUMMY
- FIGURINE
- MANNEQUIN
- PUPPET
- STATUE
Puzzle Debrief
Difficulty Rating: Medium, with several meanings hiding behind the playful prompt.
Trickiest Word: DUMMY is the likeliest stumbling block because its everyday insult can distract from its meaning as a human stand-in.
Our Take: FABRICATED neatly explains what DOLL, DUMMY, FIGURINE, MANNEQUIN, PUPPET, and STATUE have in common, while the prompt gives that connection a playful human twist. The list ranges from toys and performance props to retail forms and monuments, so the theme stays coherent without becoming repetitive.
