Today's NYT Strands is live for Wednesday, July 1, 2026 (Puzzle #850). 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: "Not a red herring"
What It Really Means
A red herring is a misleading clue designed to throw you off. Today's theme flips that -- every theme word is something that genuinely points you toward the truth, not a distraction.
Think About...
- Words for signals, signs, or pieces of information that reveal something
- Terms detectives, scientists, or investigators use to uncover facts
- Subtle or direct indicators that something is real or true
Spangram Clues
Orientation: Horizontal (with zigzag pattern)
Letter Count: 12 letters
Starting Zone: Fifth letter of the first row, snaking left then zigzagging down through the grid
Progressive Spangram Hints
Hint 1 (Gentle): Think of a small piece of information that gives away a bigger truth -- something that "gives you away."
Hint 2 (Warmer): It's a compound word combining something that reveals information with a visible marker or indicator.
Hint 3 (Almost There): First letter is T, last letter is N
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TELLTALESIGN
Word-by-Word Hints
Solve as many as you can before peeking. Each word includes escalating clues.
Word 1
Vague: A small piece of information that points toward an answer.
Closer: The game gives you one of these if you find three non-theme words.
Letter Clue: Starts with H, 4 letters total
Answer
HINT
Word 2
Vague: Something that shows or suggests that something is true.
Closer: A sign or piece of evidence that leads to a conclusion.
Letter Clue: Starts with I, 10 letters total
Answer
INDICATION
Word 3
Vague: A subtle or indirect suggestion.
Closer: An implied hint, often communicated without being stated outright.
Letter Clue: Starts with I, 10 letters total
Answer
INTIMATION
Word 4
Vague: A piece of information that helps solve a mystery.
Closer: What detectives follow to crack a case.
Letter Clue: Starts with C, 4 letters total
Answer
CLUE
Word 5
Vague: Facts or proof that support a conclusion.
Closer: What prosecutors present in court to prove a case.
Letter Clue: Starts with E, 8 letters total
Answer
EVIDENCE
Full Answers
Spangram: TELLTALESIGN
Theme Words:
- HINT
- INDICATION
- INTIMATION
- CLUE
- EVIDENCE
Puzzle Debrief
Difficulty Rating: Moderate
Trickiest Word: INTIMATION (It's the least common word in the set -- most solvers reach for "INNUENDO" or "SUGGESTION" first, not the more formal synonym.)
Our Take: A clean, satisfying theme that rewards vocabulary precision. "Not a red herring" is a clever prompt because it forces you to think about what a distraction is NOT, rather than what the answer IS. The spangram TELLTALESIGN ties it together neatly -- every word in the list is exactly that, a telltale sign of the truth.
