Today's NYT Strands is live for Thursday, March 12, 2026 (Puzzle #739). 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: "Out-and-out"
What It Really Means
Today's theme focuses on words that mean "complete," "absolute," or "total", adjectives that describe something being thorough, utter, or without qualification.
Think About...
- Synonyms for "complete" or "total"
- Words that mean "absolute" or "unqualified"
- Adjectives describing thoroughness or entirety
Spangram Clues
Orientation: Across and down
Letter Count: 13 letters
Starting Zone: First letter of the first row
Progressive Spangram Hints
Hint 1 (Gentle): This phrase describes someone who is thoroughly committed to a particular belief or characteristic.
Hint 2 (Warmer): It's an idiom about being completely and unchangeably something, often used to describe staunch supporters or ingrained habits.
Hint 3 (Almost There): First letter is D, last letter is L
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DYEDINTHEWOOL
Word-by-Word Hints
Solve as many as you can before peeking. Each word includes escalating clues.
Word 1
Vague: An adjective meaning the whole amount or complete.
Closer: Often used with "cost" or "number" to indicate everything included.
Letter Clue: Starts with T, 5 letters total
Answer
TOTAL
Word 2
Vague: Means complete or absolute, often used before nouns.
Closer: Can describe something that is sheer, complete, or unmitigated.
Letter Clue: Starts with U, 5 letters total
Answer
UTTER
Word 3
Vague: Describes something done with great care and completeness.
Closer: Often used with "research" or "analysis" to indicate comprehensive work.
Letter Clue: Starts with T, 8 letters total
Answer
THOROUGH
Word 4
Vague: Means having all necessary parts, elements, or steps.
Closer: The opposite of partial or incomplete.
Letter Clue: Starts with C, 8 letters total
Answer
COMPLETE
Word 5
Vague: An adjective meaning true, genuine, or authentic.
Closer: Often used before nouns to emphasize authenticity or genuineness.
Letter Clue: Starts with V, 9 letters total
Answer
VERITABLE
Full Answers
Spangram: DYEDINTHEWOOL
Theme Words:
- TOTAL
- UTTER
- THOROUGH
- COMPLETE
- VERITABLE
Puzzle Debrief
Difficulty Rating: Moderate
Trickiest Word: VERITABLE (Less common than other synonyms for "complete")
Our Take: A clever theme that plays with synonyms for "complete" and "absolute." The spangram "dyedinthewool" fits perfectly as an idiom meaning thoroughly committed. The word selection balances common adjectives with one slightly less obvious choice, making for a satisfying solve that requires thinking beyond the most immediate synonyms.
