Today's NYT Strands is live for Monday, January 26, 2026 (Puzzle #694). 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: "Grape expectations"
What It Really Means
This is a wine-themed puzzle playing on the phrase "great expectations." You're looking for types of wine, specifically grape varieties used in winemaking.
Think About...
- Red and white wine varieties
- Popular grapes used in winemaking
- Wine names that are also grape names
Spangram Clues
Orientation: Down then across and up
Letter Count: 10 letters
Starting Zone: Third letter of the seventh row
Progressive Spangram Hints
Hint 1 (Gentle): Think about how wine is often served or purchased
Hint 2 (Warmer): It's a phrase describing wine consumption format
Hint 3 (Almost There): First letter is B, last letter is E
---
---
---
---
---
BYTHEBOTTLE
Word-by-Word Hints
Solve as many as you can before peeking. Each word includes escalating clues.
Word 1
Vague: A red wine grape from Argentina
Closer: Known for its dark color and robust flavor
Letter Clue: Starts with M, 6 letters total
Answer
MALBEC
Word 2
Vague: A versatile red grape popular in California
Closer: Often produces bold, fruit-forward wines
Letter Clue: Starts with Z, 9 letters total
Answer
ZINFANDEL
Word 3
Vague: One of the world's most planted red grapes
Closer: Smooth, medium-bodied red wine
Letter Clue: Starts with M, 6 letters total
Answer
MERLOT
Word 4
Vague: Also known as Syrah in some regions
Closer: Full-bodied red with peppery notes
Letter Clue: Starts with S, 6 letters total
Answer
SHIRAZ
Word 5
Vague: The world's most famous white wine grape
Closer: Can range from crisp and unoaked to rich and buttery
Letter Clue: Starts with C, 10 letters total
Answer
CHARDONNAY
Full Answers
Spangram: BYTHEBOTTLE
Theme Words:
- MALBEC
- ZINFANDEL
- MERLOT
- SHIRAZ
- CHARDONNAY
Puzzle Debrief
Difficulty Rating: Moderate
Trickiest Word: ZINFANDEL (9 letters with a Z-start makes it less common)
Our Take: A straightforward wine theme with a clever pun on "great expectations." The spangram BYTHEBOTTLE ties everything together nicely, though wine novices might struggle with some of the less common grape names. Solid Monday puzzle that's accessible but not too easy.
