Today's NYT Strands is live for Tuesday, February 17, 2026 (Puzzle #716). 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: "The year of the…"
What It Really Means
This theme refers to the Chinese zodiac animals that represent different years in the 12-year cycle.
Think About...
- Animals from the Chinese zodiac calendar
- Creatures associated with specific birth years
- Symbolic animals in Asian astrology
Spangram Clues
Orientation: Up and around
Letter Count: 11 letters
Starting Zone: First letter of the fifth row
Progressive Spangram Hints
Hint 1 (Gentle): The collective term for the 12-year cycle of animals
Hint 2 (Warmer): These are astrological signs based on birth years
Hint 3 (Almost There): First letter is Z, last letter is S
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ZODIACSIGNS
Word-by-Word Hints
Solve as many as you can before peeking. Each word includes escalating clues.
Word 1
Vague: A fast, powerful animal often ridden
Closer: Known for speed and strength, used in racing
Letter Clue: Starts with H, 5 letters total
Answer
HORSE
Word 2
Vague: A sure-footed mountain animal
Closer: Known for climbing ability and beard
Letter Clue: Starts with G, 4 letters total
Answer
GOAT
Word 3
Vague: A legless reptile that slithers
Closer: Often associated with wisdom or danger
Letter Clue: Starts with S, 5 letters total
Answer
SNAKE
Word 4
Vague: A small, fast mammal with long ears
Closer: Known for hopping and breeding quickly
Letter Clue: Starts with R, 6 letters total
Answer
RABBIT
Word 5
Vague: A mythical fire-breathing creature
Closer: Powerful symbol in Chinese culture
Letter Clue: Starts with D, 6 letters total
Answer
DRAGON
Word 6
Vague: An intelligent primate
Closer: Known for climbing and mischief
Letter Clue: Starts with M, 6 letters total
Answer
MONKEY
Word 7
Vague: A large striped feline
Closer: Powerful predator with orange and black stripes
Letter Clue: Starts with T, 5 letters total
Answer
TIGER
Full Answers
Spangram: ZODIACSIGNS
Theme Words:
- HORSE
- GOAT
- SNAKE
- RABBIT
- DRAGON
- MONKEY
- TIGER
Puzzle Debrief
Difficulty Rating: Moderate
Trickiest Word: GOAT (Only 4 letters, making it easy to overlook among longer animal names)
Our Take: A straightforward Chinese zodiac theme with familiar animals. The spangram "ZODIACSIGNS" cleverly captures the concept while fitting the grid perfectly. Dragon being included as a mythical creature adds variety to the real animals. Solid Tuesday puzzle that tests pattern recognition more than obscure knowledge.
