Today's NYT Strands is live for Saturday, April 11, 2026 (Puzzle #769). 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: "You're putting me on"
What It Really Means
This theme is about headwear - specifically, different types of hats. The phrase "putting me on" refers to wearing something, in this case, various hat styles.
Think About...
- Different styles of headwear from around the world
- Formal and casual hat varieties
- Head coverings with specific cultural associations
Spangram Clues
Orientation: Up and across
Letter Count: 7 letters
Starting Zone: First letter of the fifth row
Progressive Spangram Hints
Hint 1 (Gentle): Think about what you might wear on your head
Hint 2 (Warmer): This refers to the uppermost part of something
Hint 3 (Almost There): First letter is T, last letter is R
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TOPGEAR
Word-by-Word Hints
Solve as many as you can before peeking. Each word includes escalating clues.
Word 1
Vague: French-inspired headwear
Closer: Often associated with artists and intellectuals
Letter Clue: Starts with B, 5 letters total
Answer
BERET
Word 2
Vague: Classic British hat style
Closer: Associated with horse racing and formal events
Letter Clue: Starts with D, 5 letters total
Answer
DERBY
Word 3
Vague: Classic American hat with a brim
Closer: Often worn by detectives and gangsters in old movies
Letter Clue: Starts with F, 6 letters total
Answer
FEDORA
Word 4
Vague: Wide-brimmed hat from Latin America
Closer: Often associated with Mexican culture and mariachi bands
Letter Clue: Starts with S, 8 letters total
Answer
SOMBRERO
Word 5
Vague: Knitted winter hat
Closer: Also known as a stocking cap or watch cap
Letter Clue: Starts with T, 5 letters total
Answer
TOQUE
Word 6
Vague: Casual, close-fitting hat
Closer: Often made of wool and worn in cold weather
Letter Clue: Starts with B, 6 letters total
Answer
BEANIE
Word 7
Vague: Formal British hat style
Closer: Also known as a derby hat in some regions
Letter Clue: Starts with B, 6 letters total
Answer
BOWLER
Full Answers
Spangram: TOPGEAR
Theme Words:
- BERET
- DERBY
- FEDORA
- SOMBRERO
- TOQUE
- BEANIE
- BOWLER
Puzzle Debrief
Difficulty Rating: Moderate
Trickiest Word: TOQUE (Less common term for a winter hat that might not be immediately familiar to all solvers)
Our Take: A straightforward hat-themed puzzle with good variety across cultures and styles. The spangram "TOPGEAR" cleverly plays on both the headwear theme and the phrase "top gear" meaning high performance. The inclusion of less common terms like "toque" adds just enough challenge to keep things interesting without being frustrating.
