Today's NYT Strands is live for Friday, March 13, 2026 (Puzzle #740). 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: "Mountain band"
What It Really Means
You're looking for instruments associated with bluegrass or Appalachian folk music, the kind you'd hear in a traditional mountain band.
Think About...
- String instruments common in folk and country music
- Acoustic instruments played in small ensembles
- Traditional American roots music equipment
Spangram Clues
Orientation: Up, around and down
Letter Count: 14 letters
Starting Zone: Third letter of the eighth row
Progressive Spangram Hints
Hint 1 (Gentle): This describes a genre of American roots music that originated in the Appalachian region.
Hint 2 (Warmer): Think of the music style featuring banjos, fiddles, and mandolins, often associated with Kentucky and Tennessee.
Hint 3 (Almost There): First letter is B, last letter is C
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BLUEGRASSMUSIC
Word-by-Word Hints
Solve as many as you can before peeking. Each word includes escalating clues.
Word 1
Vague: A string instrument with a distinctive twangy sound.
Closer: Often has a circular body and five strings, played with fingerpicks.
Letter Clue: Starts with B, 5 letters total
Answer
BANJO
Word 2
Vague: A small, high-pitched string instrument.
Closer: Has a teardrop-shaped body and is often played with a pick.
Letter Clue: Starts with M, 8 letters total
Answer
MANDOLIN
Word 3
Vague: Another name for a violin in folk music contexts.
Closer: Played with a bow, essential for bluegrass breakdowns.
Letter Clue: Starts with F, 6 letters total
Answer
FIDDLE
Word 4
Vague: The most common string instrument in many music genres.
Closer: Acoustic version with six strings, often used for rhythm in bands.
Letter Clue: Starts with G, 6 letters total
Answer
GUITAR
Word 5
Vague: A small wind instrument you hold in your hands.
Closer: Also called a mouth organ, played by blowing and drawing air.
Letter Clue: Starts with H, 9 letters total
Answer
HARMONICA
Full Answers
Spangram: BLUEGRASSMUSIC
Theme Words:
- BANJO
- MANDOLIN
- FIDDLE
- GUITAR
- HARMONICA
Puzzle Debrief
Difficulty Rating: Moderate
Trickiest Word: MANDOLIN (Less common than other instruments, and the 8-letter length requires careful grid navigation)
Our Take: A straightforward theme that music fans will appreciate. The "mountain band" prompt cleverly hints at bluegrass without giving it away immediately. The spangram's 14-letter length makes for satisfying discovery, though the grid layout requires some creative pathfinding.
