Today's NYT Strands is live for Sunday, March 8, 2026 (Puzzle #735). 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 time of year again"
What It Really Means
The theme points to a seasonal event that happens twice annually, specifically the adjustment of clocks that affects sleep schedules and daylight hours.
Think About...
- Time changes that happen in spring and fall
- Things you adjust or lose when clocks change
- Common phrases associated with seasonal time shifts
Spangram Clues
Orientation: Across and around
Letter Count: 15 letters
Starting Zone: First letter of the fourth row
Progressive Spangram Hints
Hint 1 (Gentle): This phrase describes the practice of adjusting clocks to make better use of daylight during longer days.
Hint 2 (Warmer): It's a compound term that begins with "day" and ends with "savings," referring to the conservation of daylight hours.
Hint 3 (Almost There): First letter is D, last letter is S
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DAYLIGHTSAVINGS
Word-by-Word Hints
Solve as many as you can before peeking. Each word includes escalating clues.
Word 1
Vague: A season when one of the time changes occurs
Closer: The season when clocks "spring forward"
Letter Clue: Starts with S, 6 letters total
Answer
SPRING
Word 2
Vague: A unit of time measurement
Closer: What you gain or lose when clocks change
Letter Clue: Starts with H, 4 letters total
Answer
HOUR
Word 3
Vague: The opposite of gaining
Closer: What happens to an hour in the fall time change
Letter Clue: Starts with L, 6 letters total
Answer
LOSING
Word 4
Vague: A timekeeping device
Closer: What you physically adjust during the time change
Letter Clue: Starts with C, 5 letters total
Answer
CLOCK
Word 5
Vague: A direction or progression
Closer: The direction clocks move in spring
Letter Clue: Starts with F, 7 letters total
Answer
FORWARD
Word 6
Vague: A restful state
Closer: What gets disrupted when clocks change
Letter Clue: Starts with S, 5 letters total
Answer
SLEEP
Full Answers
Spangram: DAYLIGHTSAVINGS
Theme Words:
- SPRING
- HOUR
- LOSING
- CLOCK
- FORWARD
- SLEEP
Puzzle Debrief
Difficulty Rating: Moderate
Trickiest Word: LOSING (The present participle form might throw solvers expecting "LOSE" or "LOST")
Our Take: A timely puzzle for March, when many regions actually experience the spring forward change. The theme words work well together, creating a cohesive narrative about the annual clock adjustment ritual. The spangram's length and orientation provide a satisfying challenge without being overly frustrating.
