Today's NYT Strands is live for Sunday, February 15, 2026 (Puzzle #714). 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: "Now I get it!"
What It Really Means
This theme centers on moments of sudden understanding or comprehension, those "aha!" moments when something clicks into place.
Think About...
- Verbs that describe understanding or realization
- Synonyms for "comprehend" or "figure out"
- Words related to mental clarity or insight
Spangram Clues
Orientation: Left to right then down
Letter Count: 10 letters
Starting Zone: First letter of the first row
Progressive Spangram Hints
Hint 1 (Gentle): This phrase describes the moment when understanding dawns.
Hint 2 (Warmer): It's an idiom about gaining insight or clarity.
Hint 3 (Almost There): First letter is S, last letter is T
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SEETHELIGHT
Word-by-Word Hints
Solve as many as you can before peeking. Each word includes escalating clues.
Word 1
Vague: To hold firmly or understand.
Closer: A firm mental hold on a concept.
Letter Clue: Starts with G, 5 letters total
Answer
GRASP
Word 2
Vague: To penetrate or understand deeply.
Closer: To comprehend something thoroughly.
Letter Clue: Starts with F, 6 letters total
Answer
FATHOM
Word 3
Vague: To become aware of something.
Closer: To understand something clearly and distinctly.
Letter Clue: Starts with R, 7 letters total
Answer
REALIZE
Word 4
Vague: To seize or understand.
Closer: To grasp mentally or take into custody.
Letter Clue: Starts with A, 9 letters total
Answer
APPREHEND
Word 5
Vague: To comprehend or know.
Closer: To grasp the meaning or nature of something.
Letter Clue: Starts with U, 10 letters total
Answer
UNDERSTAND
Full Answers
Spangram: SEETHELIGHT
Theme Words:
- GRASP
- FATHOM
- REALIZE
- APPREHEND
- UNDERSTAND
Puzzle Debrief
Difficulty Rating: Moderate
Trickiest Word: APPREHEND (While commonly associated with arrest, its secondary meaning of "grasp mentally" fits the theme perfectly)
Our Take: A clever theme that plays with multiple layers of understanding. The spangram "SEETHELIGHT" ties everything together neatly, while the word selection covers both common and less obvious synonyms for comprehension. The puzzle requires thinking beyond surface meanings to find the thematic connections.
