Today's NYT Strands is live for Saturday, February 7, 2026 (Puzzle #706). 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: "Boo-o-o-o-ring"
What It Really Means
Today's theme is about things that are tedious, uninteresting, or monotonous. You're looking for synonyms and related terms for boredom and lack of excitement.
Think About...
- Words describing dull, repetitive, or unexciting things
- Synonyms for boring, monotonous, or tedious
- Things that make you want to yawn or lose interest
Spangram Clues
Orientation: Up to the first row, straight across to the right and back down to the sixth row
Letter Count: 15 letters
Starting Zone: First letter of the sixth row
Progressive Spangram Hints
Hint 1 (Gentle): This phrase describes the ultimate expression of boredom and monotony.
Hint 2 (Warmer): It's what you might do when you have absolutely nothing better to do, often used as a metaphor for extreme tedium.
Hint 3 (Almost There): First letter is W, last letter is Y
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WATCHINGPAINTDRY
Word-by-Word Hints
Solve as many as you can before peeking. Each word includes escalating clues.
Word 1
Vague: Ordinary and lacking excitement
Closer: Describes everyday routine that feels repetitive
Letter Clue: Starts with M, 7 letters total
Answer
MUNDANE
Word 2
Vague: Something that wears you out with repetition
Closer: Describes tasks that feel like they'll never end
Letter Clue: Starts with T, 8 letters total
Answer
TIRESOME
Word 3
Vague: The opposite of sharp or exciting
Closer: Describes something lacking brightness or interest
Letter Clue: Starts with D, 4 letters total
Answer
DULL
Word 4
Vague: Gloomy and depressing
Closer: Describes weather or situations that feel bleak
Letter Clue: Starts with D, 6 letters total
Answer
DREARY
Word 5
Vague: Routine and unvarying
Closer: Describes the monotony of everyday life
Letter Clue: Starts with H, 7 letters total
Answer
HUMDRUM
Full Answers
Spangram: WATCHINGPAINTDRY
Theme Words:
- MUNDANE
- TIRESOME
- DULL
- DREARY
- HUMDRUM
Puzzle Debrief
Difficulty Rating: Moderate
Trickiest Word: HUMDRUM (Less common synonym that might not immediately come to mind)
Our Take: A clever theme that plays on the concept of boredom itself. The spangram "WATCHINGPAINTDRY" perfectly captures the essence of tedium, while the theme words provide a solid vocabulary lesson on synonyms for boring. The puzzle requires thinking about different shades of monotony rather than just obvious choices.
