Today's NYT Strands is live for Sunday, May 10, 2026 (Puzzle #798). 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: "We all saw it"
What It Really Means
Every word in this puzzle describes something impossible to miss. If it's out in the open, undeniable, and right in front of your face, it belongs here. Think synonyms for "obvious" and "unconcealed."
Think About...
- Words that describe shameless or conspicuous actions
- Terms for something that cannot be ignored or hidden
- Vocabulary around visibility, openness, and transparency
Spangram Clues
Orientation: Bottom to top (vertical)
Letter Count: 8 letters
Starting Zone: Third letter from the end of the last row
Progressive Spangram Hints
Hint 1 (Gentle): This word describes something so obvious there's no debate about it.
Hint 2 (Warmer): Think about a forest that's been logged completely or a situation with no ambiguity.
Hint 3 (Almost There): First letter is C, last letter is T
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CLEARCUT
Word-by-Word Hints
Solve as many as you can before peeking. Each word includes escalating clues.
Word 1
Vague: Acting without shame or self-consciousness.
Closer: Describes someone who does something bold and unapologetic, often in public.
Letter Clue: Starts with B, 6 letters total
Answer
BRAZEN
Word 2
Vague: So obvious it's almost offensive.
Closer: Often used to describe something that's done in plain sight with no attempt to hide it.
Letter Clue: Starts with B, 7 letters total
Answer
BLATANT
Word 3
Vague: A mistake or flaw that's impossible to overlook.
Closer: Something that stands out sharply, like a bright light in a dark room.
Letter Clue: Starts with G, 7 letters total
Answer
GLARING
Word 4
Vague: Shockingly bad or openly wrong.
Closer: A legal term for a violation so severe it's undeniable.
Letter Clue: Starts with F, 8 letters total
Answer
FLAGRANT
Word 5
Vague: Done in the open, not hidden.
Closer: The opposite of covert or secret. Everyone can see it.
Letter Clue: Starts with O, 5 letters total
Answer
OVERT
Word 6
Vague: The most straightforward word for something easily seen.
Closer: When something requires no explanation or detective work to figure out.
Letter Clue: Starts with O, 7 letters total
Answer
OBVIOUS
Full Answers
Spangram: CLEARCUT
Theme Words:
- BRAZEN
- BLATANT
- GLARING
- FLAGRANT
- OVERT
- OBVIOUS
Puzzle Debrief
Difficulty Rating: Moderate
Trickiest Word: BRAZEN (Takes a slight conceptual pivot from "obvious" to "shamelessly bold," which may not click immediately if you're locked into thinking about visibility rather than audacity.)
Our Take: A solid Sunday puzzle with a tight, cohesive theme. "We all saw it" pulls together a satisfying cluster of synonyms that all circle the same idea without feeling repetitive. CLEARCUT as the spangram is a smart choice -- it works both literally (clear-cut logging) and figuratively (obvious, unambiguous), giving the grid a nice double-meaning finish. Nothing obscure, nothing frustrating -- just clean wordplay executed well.
