Today's NYT Strands is live for Friday, January 9, 2026 (Puzzle #677). 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: "For cubs fans"
What It Really Means
This theme is about different types of bears. The phrase "cubs fans" hints at bear cubs, and you're looking for various bear species and their color variations.
Think About...
- Bear species found around the world
- Common colors associated with bears
- Specific bear names like panda or grizzly
Spangram Clues
Orientation: Top to Bottom
Letter Count: 11 letters
Starting Zone: Third row
Progressive Spangram Hints
Hint 1 (Gentle): A phrase meaning to remember or keep in consideration
Hint 2 (Warmer): This phrase plays on the bear theme with a common expression
Hint 3 (Almost There): First letter is B, last letter is D
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BEARSINMIND
Word-by-Word Hints
Solve as many as you can before peeking. Each word includes escalating clues.
Word 1
Vague: A common bear color
Closer: Opposite of white
Letter Clue: Starts with B, 5 letters total
Answer
BLACK
Word 2
Vague: Another bear color
Closer: Common color for grizzly bears
Letter Clue: Starts with B, 5 letters total
Answer
BROWN
Word 3
Vague: A North American bear species
Closer: Known for its distinctive shoulder hump
Letter Clue: Starts with G, 7 letters total
Answer
GRIZZLY
Word 4
Vague: A bear from Asia
Closer: Black and white bear that eats bamboo
Letter Clue: Starts with P, 5 letters total
Answer
PANDA
Word 5
Vague: A bear from the Arctic
Closer: White bear that lives on sea ice
Letter Clue: Starts with P, 5 letters total
Answer
POLAR
Word 6
Vague: A South American bear
Closer: Named for the distinctive markings around its eyes
Letter Clue: Starts with S, 10 letters total
Answer
SPECTACLED
Full Answers
Spangram: BEARSINMIND
Theme Words:
- BLACK
- BROWN
- GRIZZLY
- PANDA
- POLAR
- SPECTACLED
Puzzle Debrief
Difficulty Rating: Moderate
Trickiest Word: SPECTACLED (Less common bear species that many solvers might not immediately recall)
Our Take: A clever bear-themed puzzle with a punny spangram that ties everything together. The mix of common colors and specific bear species creates a satisfying solve progression. The "cubs fans" clue is a nice nod to baseball while staying true to the animal theme.
