Today's NYT Strands is live for Tuesday, April 14, 2026 (Puzzle #772). 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: "It's a little unclear"
What It Really Means
This theme is all about visual ambiguity and lack of clarity. You're looking for words that describe things that aren't sharp, distinct, or easy to see.
Think About...
- Visual conditions that make things hard to see
- Photography or image quality terms
- Words describing reduced visibility or definition
Spangram Clues
Orientation: Diagonally towards the lower right then vertically, then diagonally towards the lower left to end at the first letter of the last row
Letter Count: 10 letters
Starting Zone: First letter of the first row
Progressive Spangram Hints
Hint 1 (Gentle): This describes something that's not sharp or well-defined
Hint 2 (Warmer): Think about photography or vision problems
Hint 3 (Almost There): First letter is O, last letter is S
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OUTOFFOCUS
Word-by-Word Hints
Solve as many as you can before peeking. Each word includes escalating clues.
Word 1
Vague: Lacking sharpness or definition
Closer: What a camera produces when not properly adjusted
Letter Clue: Starts with B, 6 letters total
Answer
BLURRY
Word 2
Vague: Lost intensity or brightness
Closer: What happens to colors or memories over time
Letter Clue: Starts with F, 5 letters total
Answer
FADED
Word 3
Vague: Made less bright or clear
Closer: When lights are turned down or vision is obscured
Letter Clue: Starts with B, 8 letters total
Answer
BEDIMMED
Word 4
Vague: Gentle or not harsh
Closer: Opposite of sharp or hard-edged
Letter Clue: Starts with S, 4 letters total
Answer
SOFT
Word 5
Vague: Quieted or subdued
Closer: What happens to colors or sounds when toned down
Letter Clue: Starts with M, 5 letters total
Answer
MUTED
Word 6
Vague: Overcast or not clear
Closer: Weather condition that reduces visibility
Letter Clue: Starts with C, 6 letters total
Answer
CLOUDY
Word 7
Vague: Vague or indistinct
Closer: Atmospheric condition that obscures vision
Letter Clue: Starts with H, 4 letters total
Answer
HAZY
Full Answers
Spangram: OUTOFFOCUS
Theme Words:
- BLURRY
- FADED
- BEDIMMED
- SOFT
- MUTED
- CLOUDY
- HAZY
Puzzle Debrief
Difficulty Rating: Moderate
Trickiest Word: BEDIMMED (Less common vocabulary that means "made dim or obscure")
Our Take: This puzzle cleverly explores visual ambiguity with a tight thematic focus. The spangram OUTOFFOCUS perfectly captures the essence of all seven theme words, each describing different aspects of reduced clarity. While most words are straightforward, BEDIMMED adds a nice vocabulary challenge that elevates the puzzle beyond simple synonyms.
