Today's NYT Strands is live for Wednesday, April 1, 2026 (Puzzle #759). 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: "Don't make a peep"
What It Really Means
You're looking for words related to silence, quietness, or the absence of sound.
Think About...
- Ways to describe something that can't be heard
- Synonyms for "quiet" or "silent"
- Adjectives that describe soundless environments
Spangram Clues
Orientation: Across and down then across and down again
Letter Count: 13 letters
Starting Zone: First letter of the first row
Progressive Spangram Hints
Hint 1 (Gentle): The universal sound-silencing gesture
Hint 2 (Warmer): What librarians and moviegoers use to request quiet
Hint 3 (Almost There): First letter is S, last letter is H
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SHHHHHHHHHHHH
Word-by-Word Hints
Solve as many as you can before peeking. Each word includes escalating clues.
Word 1
Vague: Impossible to hear
Closer: Below the threshold of human hearing
Letter Clue: Starts with I, 9 letters total
Answer
INAUDIBLE
Word 2
Vague: The opposite of loud
Closer: A peaceful, low-volume state
Letter Clue: Starts with Q, 5 letters total
Answer
QUIET
Word 3
Vague: Completely without sound
Closer: Free from any noise or disturbance
Letter Clue: Starts with N, 9 letters total
Answer
NOISELESS
Word 4
Vague: Lowered voice or sound
Closer: Spoken in a whisper or subdued manner
Letter Clue: Starts with H, 6 letters total
Answer
HUSHED
Word 5
Vague: The absence of all sound
Closer: Completely mute or soundless
Letter Clue: Starts with S, 6 letters total
Answer
SILENT
Full Answers
Spangram: SHHHHHHHHHHHH
Theme Words:
- INAUDIBLE
- QUIET
- NOISELESS
- HUSHED
- SILENT
Puzzle Debrief
Difficulty Rating: Easy
Trickiest Word: NOISELESS (The double "S" ending can be easy to miss in the grid)
Our Take: A straightforward April Fools' Day puzzle with a cleverly literal spangram. The theme words are common synonyms for silence, making this accessible for all skill levels. The 13-letter "SHHHHHHHHHHHH" spangram is both humorous and perfectly captures the "don't make a peep" theme.
