Today's NYT Strands is live for Saturday, January 17, 2026 (Puzzle #685). 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: "That's putting it mildly!"
What It Really Means
Today's theme is about mild expressions of frustration or annoyance - the kind of tame, old-fashioned exclamations you'd use when something goes slightly wrong.
Think About...
- Old-fashioned, G-rated exclamations of annoyance
- Mild curse word alternatives from cartoons or family-friendly media
- Comically tame expressions of frustration
Spangram Clues
Orientation: Left to Right then upwards
Letter Count: 10 letters
Starting Zone: First letter of last row
Progressive Spangram Hints
Hint 1 (Gentle): A phrase expressing frustration when something doesn't go as planned
Hint 2 (Warmer): What you might say when your plans are thwarted or you're outsmarted
Hint 3 (Almost There): First letter is F, last letter is N
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FOILEDAGAIN
Word-by-Word Hints
Solve as many as you can before peeking. Each word includes escalating clues.
Word 1
Vague: An old-fashioned expression of frustration
Closer: What a cartoon character might say instead of cursing
Letter Clue: Starts with T, 9 letters total
Answer
TARNATION
Word 2
Vague: A mild expression of disappointment
Closer: Often used in comic strips to show mild annoyance
Letter Clue: Starts with P, 6 letters total
Answer
PHOOEY
Word 3
Vague: What you might mutter under your breath
Closer: A plural form of a mild expletive
Letter Clue: Starts with C, 6 letters total
Answer
CURSES
Word 4
Vague: An absurdly mild expression of frustration
Closer: Sounds like something from a 19th-century novel
Letter Clue: Starts with F, 12 letters total
Answer
FIDDLESTICKS
Word 5
Vague: A quick, sharp expression of annoyance
Closer: What you might say when you drop something
Letter Clue: Starts with D, 4 letters total
Answer
DRAT
Full Answers
Spangram: FOILEDAGAIN
Theme Words:
- TARNATION
- PHOOEY
- CURSES
- FIDDLESTICKS
- DRAT
Puzzle Debrief
Difficulty Rating: Easy
Trickiest Word: FIDDLESTICKS (12 letters makes it a long find, plus it's an archaic expression)
Our Take: A lighthearted puzzle focusing on cartoonish, family-friendly frustration expressions. The spangram "FOILEDAGAIN" perfectly captures the theme of mild annoyance when plans go awry. The words range from common ("DRAT") to delightfully old-fashioned ("FIDDLESTICKS"), making for a fun, accessible solve.
