Today's NYT Strands is live for Tuesday, August 11, 2026 (Puzzle #891). 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: "Fresh from the market"
What It Really Means
The hunt is for ripe produce associated with warm-weather market stalls.
Think About...
- Garden beds ready for picking.
- Farm-stand bins at their seasonal peak.
- Fresh ingredients suited to salads, grilling, and picnic plates.
Spangram Clues
Orientation: Left to right across the board
Letter Count: 13 letters
Starting Zone: Row 5, letter 1
Progressive Spangram Hints
Hint 1 (Gentle): Think of the collective yield gathered during the warmest growing season.
Hint 2 (Warmer): It names what growers bring in when warm-weather crops reach their peak.
Hint 3 (Almost There): First letter is S, last letter is T
---
---
---
---
---
SUMMERHARVEST
Word-by-Word Hints
Solve as many as you can before peeking. Each word includes escalating clues.
Word 1
Vague: Look for something pulled from beneath the soil.
Closer: It is an orange taproot strongly associated with rabbits.
Letter Clue: Starts with C, 6 letters total
Answer
CARROT
Word 2
Vague: This crop grows its edible pieces in neat rows.
Closer: Its yellow kernels are eaten straight from the cob.
Letter Clue: Starts with C, 4 letters total
Answer
CORN
Word 3
Vague: This sweet produce item hides juicy flesh beneath a firm rind.
Closer: It is a round, fragrant fruit with a seeded center and sweet flesh.
Letter Clue: Starts with M, 5 letters total
Answer
MELON
Word 4
Vague: This glossy pod can taste mild or deliver serious heat.
Closer: Bell varieties are crisp and sweet, while chile varieties bring heat.
Letter Clue: Starts with P, 6 letters total
Answer
PEPPER
Word 5
Vague: This juicy garden fruit appears in countless savory dishes.
Closer: This red, juicy fruit is a foundation for sauces, salsa, and sandwich slices.
Letter Clue: Starts with T, 6 letters total
Answer
TOMATO
Word 6
Vague: This long green squash is especially abundant in warm weather.
Closer: This dark-green squash can be grilled, grated into bread, or spiralized into noodles.
Letter Clue: Starts with Z, 8 letters total
Answer
ZUCCHINI
Full Answers
Spangram: SUMMERHARVEST
Theme Words:
- CARROT
- CORN
- MELON
- PEPPER
- TOMATO
- ZUCCHINI
Puzzle Debrief
Difficulty Rating: Easy to medium, with a tightly unified produce list that becomes clear after the first answer.
Trickiest Word: ZUCCHINI is the likeliest sticking point because its eight-letter spelling is longer and less phonetic than the other theme words.
Our Take: SUMMERHARVEST neatly gathers CARROT, CORN, MELON, PEPPER, TOMATO, and ZUCCHINI under one seasonal idea. The mix of roots, fruits, pods, and squash gives the list welcome variety while keeping every answer anchored to the market prompt.
