Today's NYT Strands is live for Monday, June 15, 2026 (Puzzle #834). 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: "Moving mountains"
What It Really Means
Today's puzzle is about the act of overcoming obstacles and defeating challenges. Every theme word describes the triumph of pushing past difficulty, vanquishing foes (literal or figurative), and emerging victorious. Think verbs of conquest and mastery.
Think About...
- Words that describe defeating an enemy or a problem
- Terms related to victory, mastery, and total success
- Synonyms for prevailing against something difficult
Spangram Clues
Orientation: Down, across, then down again (snake pattern)
Letter Count: 12 letters
Starting Zone: First letter of the first row, top-left corner
Progressive Spangram Hints
Hint 1 (Gentle): This phrase is an encouraging message you might tell someone who is facing a hard challenge.
Hint 2 (Warmer): It's a common four-word pep talk, condensed into a single word. The sentiment: believe in your ability to succeed.
Hint 3 (Almost There): First letter is Y, last letter is S
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YOUVEGOTTHIS
Word-by-Word Hints
Solve as many as you can before peeking. Each word includes escalating clues.
Word 1
Vague: To defeat someone or something completely, often in a decisive battle.
Closer: Think of a hero destroying a great evil or a team crushing its opponent.
Letter Clue: Starts with V, 8 letters total
Answer
VANQUISH
Word 2
Vague: To rise above a difficulty or obstacle.
Closer: Picture climbing over a wall or getting past a barrier that stood in your way.
Letter Clue: Starts with S, 8 letters total
Answer
SURMOUNT
Word 3
Vague: To successfully deal with or defeat a problem.
Closer: What you do when you push through fear, adversity, or a difficult situation.
Letter Clue: Starts with O, 8 letters total
Answer
OVERCOME
Word 4
Vague: To put an end to something, often abruptly or forcefully.
Closer: A short, sharp word for silencing opposition or crushing a rebellion.
Letter Clue: Starts with Q, 5 letters total
Answer
QUASH
Word 5
Vague: To defeat or overcome an enemy through superior strength or strategy.
Closer: Think of generals, empires, and decisive victories. This word carries a sense of total subjugation.
Letter Clue: Starts with C, 7 letters total
Answer
CONQUER
Full Answers
Spangram: YOUVEGOTTHIS
Theme Words:
- VANQUISH
- SURMOUNT
- OVERCOME
- QUASH
- CONQUER
Puzzle Debrief
Difficulty Rating: Moderate
Trickiest Word: QUASH (Five letters and a less common Q-starting verb makes this one easy to overlook if you're scanning for longer words)
Our Take: "Moving mountains" is a theme that practically writes itself -- every word here is a victory lap of synonyms. The spangram YOUVEGOTTHIS is the real star: a motivational punchline that turns the whole puzzle into an encouraging fist bump. Solid Monday workout for your vocabulary.
