Today's NYT Strands is live for Monday, August 17, 2026 (Puzzle #897). 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: "On a bender"
What It Really Means
Look for anatomical meeting points that let the human frame bend, turn, or flex.
Think About...
- Places where an arm changes direction.
- Flexing points used to crouch, reach, and turn.
- Anatomical spots where accessories or protective gear often sit.
Spangram Clues
Orientation: Left to right across the board
Letter Count: 10 letters
Starting Zone: Row 1, letter 1
Progressive Spangram Hints
Hint 1 (Gentle): The spangram is the shared anatomical label for all these bendable meeting points.
Hint 2 (Warmer): It combines the human frame with the places where separate bones meet.
Hint 3 (Almost There): First letter is B, last letter is S
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BODYJOINTS
Word-by-Word Hints
Solve as many as you can before peeking. Each word includes escalating clues.
Word 1
Vague: A flexible hinge just above the foot.
Closer: This is the spot that can roll awkwardly when a foot lands badly.
Letter Clue: Starts with A, 5 letters total
Answer
ANKLE
Word 2
Vague: A sharp bend midway along an arm.
Closer: It rests on a tabletop and forms the point of a bent arm.
Letter Clue: Starts with E, 5 letters total
Answer
ELBOW
Word 3
Vague: A leg hinge used for crouching and climbing.
Closer: Protective padding is strapped over this front-facing leg hinge.
Letter Clue: Starts with K, 4 letters total
Answer
KNEE
Word 4
Vague: One of the hard bumps that appears when a hand closes.
Closer: You rap this hard finger prominence against a door.
Letter Clue: Starts with K, 7 letters total
Answer
KNUCKLE
Word 5
Vague: The narrow connector directly below the head.
Closer: A shirt collar circles this area beneath the head.
Letter Clue: Starts with N, 4 letters total
Answer
NECK
Word 6
Vague: The broad pivot where an upper limb meets the torso.
Closer: A backpack strap crosses this upper-arm connection.
Letter Clue: Starts with S, 8 letters total
Answer
SHOULDER
Word 7
Vague: The flexible link between the hand and forearm.
Closer: A watch or bracelet is worn around this hand-to-forearm connection.
Letter Clue: Starts with W, 5 letters total
Answer
WRIST
Full Answers
Spangram: BODYJOINTS
Theme Words:
- ANKLE
- ELBOW
- KNEE
- KNUCKLE
- NECK
- SHOULDER
- WRIST
Puzzle Debrief
Difficulty Rating: Medium, because BODYJOINTS clarifies the playful prompt quickly, but several short anatomical answers can hide in crowded letter paths.
Trickiest Word: KNUCKLE is the likeliest stall, since its winding seven-letter path is less visually immediate than the compact paths of KNEE or NECK.
Our Take: BODYJOINTS makes the bending wordplay in “On a bender” click cleanly. The list ranges from compact finds such as KNEE and NECK to the longer KNUCKLE and SHOULDER, giving the grid a satisfying mix of quick confirmations and winding searches.
