Today's NYT Strands is live for Monday, May 11, 2026 (Puzzle #799). 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: "A nice medley"
What It Really Means
You're looking for words that describe a collection of mixed, assorted, or miscellaneous items. Think about concepts that capture variety, disorder, or a blend of different things thrown together.
Think About...
- Words that describe a chaotic collection or assortment
- Terms for a mix of unrelated odds and ends
- Synonyms for variety, disorder, or a jumble of items
Spangram Clues
Orientation: Horizontal (zig-zags across the grid)
Letter Count: 11 letters
Starting Zone: Begins on the fifth row, left side
Progressive Spangram Hints
Hint 1 (Gentle): This word describes a random assortment of leftover or miscellaneous items.
Hint 2 (Warmer): It's what you call a collection of various small items that don't quite belong together.
Hint 3 (Almost There): First letter is O, last letter is S
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ODDSANDENDS
Word-by-Word Hints
Solve as many as you can before peeking. Each word includes escalating clues.
Word 1
Vague: A confused mixture of things thrown together
Closer: This word describes a disorderly heap or collection of unrelated items
Letter Clue: Starts with H, 10 letters total
Answer
HODGEPODGE
Word 2
Vague: A collection of miscellaneous things
Closer: A British-origin term for a motley assortment of items or people
Letter Clue: Starts with R, 6 letters total
Answer
RAGBAG
Word 3
Vague: The quality of being diverse or having many different forms
Closer: A range of different things within a category
Letter Clue: Starts with V, 7 letters total
Answer
VARIETY
Word 4
Vague: A confused mixture or medley
Closer: A disorderly combination of disparate elements
Letter Clue: Starts with M, 8 letters total
Answer
MISHMASH
Word 5
Vague: An untidy collection of things
Closer: A confused mixture or state of disorder
Letter Clue: Starts with J, 6 letters total
Answer
JUMBLE
Full Answers
Spangram: ODDSANDENDS
Theme Words:
- HODGEPODGE
- RAGBAG
- VARIETY
- MISHMASH
- JUMBLE
Puzzle Debrief
Difficulty Rating: Moderate
Trickiest Word: RAGBAG (Less common in American English, this British-origin term might not come to mind as quickly as the others)
Our Take: Puzzle #799 leans heavily into synonyms for mixed assortments, making it a satisfying exercise in vocabulary recall. The spangram ODDSANDENDS ties everything together nicely, and once you crack one word, the rest follow logically. A clean, well-constructed puzzle that rewards pattern recognition over brute forcing the grid.
