Today's NYT Strands is live for Sunday, May 3, 2026 (Puzzle #791). 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: "Something's fishy"
What It Really Means
The grid is packed with synonyms for "odd" or "unusual." The prompt is a playful double meaning -- "fishy" implies something suspicious or strange, and every theme word describes things that are decidedly not normal.
Think About...
- Words that describe something out of the ordinary
- Synonyms for "weird" or "bizarre" you'd use in everyday conversation
- Adjectives that make you raise an eyebrow
Spangram Clues
Orientation: Vertical (bottom to top, zig-zag)
Letter Count: 8 letters
Starting Zone: Third letter of the last row
Progressive Spangram Hints
Hint 1 (Gentle): A two-word reaction you might say when something doesn't add up.
Hint 2 (Warmer): It's a casual phrase you'd mutter when you notice something is off about the situation.
Hint 3 (Almost There): First letter is T, last letter is D
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THATSODD
Word-by-Word Hints
Solve as many as you can before peeking. Each word includes escalating clues.
Word 1
Vague: The opposite of "normal"
Closer: Something you haven't seen before, out of the ordinary
Letter Clue: Starts with S, 7 letters total
Answer
STRANGE
Word 2
Vague: A common word for something that feels off
Closer: The feeling you get when things are just not right
Letter Clue: Starts with W, 5 letters total
Answer
WEIRD
Word 3
Vague: A fancier way to say strange
Closer: Describes something that stands out as odd in a distinct way
Letter Clue: Starts with P, 8 letters total
Answer
PECULIAR
Word 4
Vague: Not typical or expected
Closer: Something rare or uncommon that catches your attention
Letter Clue: Starts with U, 7 letters total
Answer
UNUSUAL
Word 5
Vague: Extremely strange, almost shocking
Closer: The kind of odd that makes you do a double take
Letter Clue: Starts with B, 7 letters total
Answer
BIZZARE
Word 6
Vague: Odd in an interesting or playful way
Closer: Eccentric, offbeat, and maybe a little charming
Letter Clue: Starts with Q, 6 letters total
Answer
QUIRKY
Full Answers
Spangram: THATSODD
Theme Words:
- STRANGE
- WEIRD
- PECULIAR
- UNUSUAL
- BIZZARE
- QUIRKY
Puzzle Debrief
Difficulty Rating: Easy
Trickiest Word: BIZZARE (The spelling is a trap -- it's easy to second-guess whether it has one Z or two)
Our Take: A straightforward synonym roundup with a clever spangram payoff. "Something's fishy" is the perfect misdirection -- there are no fish here, just six adjectives for "not normal." The zig-zag spangram adds a little navigational challenge, but once you see THATSODD, the rest of the grid falls into place fast. Solid Sunday warm-up.
