Today's NYT Strands is live for Monday, September 7, 2026 (Puzzle #918). 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: "It's a deal!"
What It Really Means
Look for actions people take when moving a disagreement toward an outcome both sides can accept.
Think About...
- Reaching the same conclusion after a discussion.
- Using give-and-take when interests conflict.
- Closing a dispute or dividing something between participants.
Spangram Clues
Orientation: Left to right across the board
Letter Count: 13 letters
Starting Zone: Row 1, letter 1
Progressive Spangram Hints
Hint 1 (Gentle): Picture two sides moving toward the center.
Hint 2 (Warmer): Think of the familiar invitation asking each side to cover equal ground toward the middle.
Hint 3 (Almost There): First letter is M, last letter is Y
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MEETMEHALFWAY
Word-by-Word Hints
Solve as many as you can before peeking. Each word includes escalating clues.
Word 1
Vague: See eye to eye on a question.
Closer: Give the same yes-or-no response as the person across the table.
Letter Clue: Starts with A, 5 letters total
Answer
AGREE
Word 2
Vague: Neither side gets everything it wants.
Closer: Each side gives up part of its original position to reach common ground.
Letter Clue: Starts with C, 10 letters total
Answer
COMPROMISE
Word 3
Vague: Work through terms with another party.
Closer: Discuss price, conditions, or contract terms until both parties can proceed.
Letter Clue: Starts with N, 9 letters total
Answer
NEGOTIATE
Word 4
Vague: Bring a disagreement to a conclusion.
Closer: Resolve a dispute or finalize what is owed.
Letter Clue: Starts with S, 6 letters total
Answer
SETTLE
Word 5
Vague: Let someone else have a portion.
Closer: Split food, information, or responsibility with another person.
Letter Clue: Starts with S, 5 letters total
Answer
SHARE
Full Answers
Spangram: MEETMEHALFWAY
Theme Words:
- AGREE
- COMPROMISE
- NEGOTIATE
- SETTLE
- SHARE
Puzzle Debrief
Difficulty Rating: Medium, with five answers occupying a tightly connected semantic neighborhood.
Trickiest Word: NEGOTIATE is the likeliest stall because it can also mean successfully navigating an obstacle, a secondary sense that points away from dealmaking.
Our Take: AGREE, COMPROMISE, NEGOTIATE, SETTLE, and SHARE form a cohesive set built around cooperation and resolution. MEETMEHALFWAY ties them together cleanly by turning that shared idea into a familiar invitation for both sides to move.
