Today's NYT Strands is live for Friday, November 13, 2026 (Puzzle #985). 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: "Not a good sign"
What It Really Means
Look for words associated with superstitions and bad omens. Some name ordinary objects, while others supply the detail that makes an everyday situation feel unlucky.
Think About...
- Household mishaps with an ominous reputation.
- Numbers that make the superstitious uneasy.
- Building labels that skip an unwelcome stop.
Spangram Clues
Orientation: Left to right across the board
Letter Count: 10 letters
Starting Zone: Row 4, letter 1
Progressive Spangram Hints
Hint 1 (Gentle): Think about what these omens supposedly bring.
Hint 2 (Warmer): A two-word expression for especially bad fortune.
Hint 3 (Almost There): First letter is R, last letter is K
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ROTTENLUCK
Word-by-Word Hints
Solve as many as you can before peeking. Each word includes escalating clues.
Word 1
Vague: No longer intact or working.
Closer: The condition of a vase after it shatters.
Letter Clue: Starts with B, 6 letters total
Answer
BROKEN
Word 2
Vague: A level within a building.
Closer: An elevator button tells you which one you'll arrive on.
Letter Clue: Starts with F, 5 letters total
Answer
FLOOR
Word 3
Vague: An object that shows you yourself.
Closer: The looking glass above a bathroom sink.
Letter Clue: Starts with M, 6 letters total
Answer
MIRROR
Word 4
Vague: A familiar seasoning.
Closer: The white crystals paired with pepper on the table.
Letter Clue: Starts with S, 4 letters total
Answer
SALT
Word 5
Vague: Accidentally emptied from a container.
Closer: Describes milk left in a puddle after a glass tips over.
Letter Clue: Starts with S, 7 letters total
Answer
SPILLED
Word 6
Vague: An ordinal with an unlucky reputation.
Closer: The position immediately after twelfth.
Letter Clue: Starts with T, 10 letters total
Answer
THIRTEENTH
Full Answers
Spangram: ROTTENLUCK
Theme Words:
- BROKEN
- FLOOR
- MIRROR
- SALT
- SPILLED
- THIRTEENTH
Puzzle Debrief
Difficulty Rating: Medium, with familiar vocabulary whose superstitious connections emerge when you pair the words.
Trickiest Word: FLOOR is my pick because it carries no obvious warning on its own. Pair it with THIRTEENTH, and the connection to buildings that skip that number becomes clear.
Our Take: The satisfying turn in “Not a good sign” is how the separate words form familiar superstitious associations, BROKEN with MIRROR, SPILLED with SALT, and THIRTEENTH with FLOOR. ROTTENLUCK ties those combinations together, giving the ordinary vocabulary an ominous edge.