Today's NYT Strands is live for Monday, March 9, 2026 (Puzzle #736). 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: "Cute enough to eat"
What It Really Means
You're looking for words that describe things that are both adorable and edible, terms of endearment that double as food items.
Think About...
- Pet names people use for loved ones that are also foods
- Small, cute-sounding food items
- Words that could describe both a person and something you'd eat
Spangram Clues
Orientation: Diagonal, across and down
Letter Count: 11 letters
Starting Zone: First letter of the second row
Progressive Spangram Hints
Hint 1 (Gentle): Think about affectionate terms people use for loved ones.
Hint 2 (Warmer): These are sweet names you might call a partner, child, or pet.
Hint 3 (Almost There): First letter is E, last letter is S
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ENDEARMENTS
Word-by-Word Hints
Solve as many as you can before peeking. Each word includes escalating clues.
Word 1
Vague: A fall favorite that's also a term for a cute person.
Closer: Often carved for Halloween and turned into pie.
Letter Clue: Starts with P, 7 letters total
Answer
PUMPKIN
Word 2
Vague: A small, precious piece of something.
Closer: Often used for chicken pieces or gold.
Letter Clue: Starts with N, 6 letters total
Answer
NUGGET
Word 3
Vague: A tiny, cute thing that grows in pods.
Closer: Green vegetable that's also slang for a small person.
Letter Clue: Starts with B, 4 letters total
Answer
BEAN
Word 4
Vague: A baked good that's also a cute nickname.
Closer: Often blueberry or bran, eaten for breakfast.
Letter Clue: Starts with M, 6 letters total
Answer
MUFFIN
Word 5
Vague: A small, round food that's often steamed.
Closer: Common in Asian cuisine, filled with meat or vegetables.
Letter Clue: Starts with D, 8 letters total
Answer
DUMPLING
Word 6
Vague: A small, crunchy snack that's also a term of affection.
Closer: Often salted or roasted, comes in a shell.
Letter Clue: Starts with P, 6 letters total
Answer
PEANUT
Full Answers
Spangram: ENDEARMENTS
Theme Words:
- PUMPKIN
- NUGGET
- BEAN
- MUFFIN
- DUMPLING
- PEANUT
Puzzle Debrief
Difficulty Rating: Moderate
Trickiest Word: DUMPLING (8 letters makes it harder to spot in the grid)
Our Take: A clever theme that plays on the double meaning of food terms as affectionate nicknames. The spangram ENDEARMENTS perfectly captures the concept, while the theme words range from obvious (PUMPKIN, BEAN) to more subtle (NUGGET, DUMPLING). The diagonal spangram orientation adds a nice challenge to today's puzzle.
