Today's NYT Strands is live for Thursday, April 2, 2026 (Puzzle #760). 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: "On track"
What It Really Means
This theme points to horse racing and the people involved in the sport. You're looking for roles and participants in the horse racing world.
Think About...
- People who work at or attend horse races
- Professions related to horse racing operations
- Individuals involved in betting and racing outcomes
Spangram Clues
Orientation: Across and around
Letter Count: 11 letters
Starting Zone: First letter of the fourth row
Progressive Spangram Hints
Hint 1 (Gentle): This is the sport that involves thoroughbreds, tracks, and betting windows.
Hint 2 (Warmer): Think Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes, and the Triple Crown.
Hint 3 (Almost There): First letter is H, last letter is G
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HORSERACING
Word-by-Word Hints
Solve as many as you can before peeking. Each word includes escalating clues.
Word 1
Vague: Someone who puts money on outcomes
Closer: A person who wagers on horse races
Letter Clue: Starts with B, 6 letters total
Answer
BETTOR
Word 2
Vague: A representative or intermediary
Closer: Someone who represents horses or jockeys
Letter Clue: Starts with A, 5 letters total
Answer
AGENT
Word 3
Vague: The person who rides the horse
Closer: Professional horse rider in races
Letter Clue: Starts with J, 6 letters total
Answer
JOCKEY
Word 4
Vague: Someone who prepares and conditions
Closer: Person responsible for preparing racehorses
Letter Clue: Starts with T, 7 letters total
Answer
TRAINER
Word 5
Vague: A person who takes bets
Closer: Someone who accepts wagers on races
Letter Clue: Starts with B, 6 letters total
Answer
BOOKIE
Word 6
Vague: Someone who provides information
Closer: Person who gives betting advice or predictions
Letter Clue: Starts with T, 7 letters total
Answer
TIPSTER
Full Answers
Spangram: HORSERACING
Theme Words:
- BETTOR
- AGENT
- JOCKEY
- TRAINER
- BOOKIE
- TIPSTER
Puzzle Debrief
Difficulty Rating: Moderate
Trickiest Word: TIPSTER (Less common term that casual solvers might not immediately associate with horse racing)
Our Take: A solid thematic puzzle that explores the ecosystem around horse racing. The "On track" prompt cleverly hints at both the literal racetrack and being "on track" with the theme. The word selection covers the full spectrum from participants (JOCKEY, TRAINER) to the betting side (BETTOR, BOOKIE, TIPSTER), with AGENT bridging both worlds. The spangram HORSERACING ties everything together neatly.
