Today's NYT Strands is live for Wednesday, March 18, 2026 (Puzzle #745). 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 follows"
What It Really Means
Look for words that come after something else in a sequence, process, or natural order.
Think About...
- Sequential processes or natural progressions
- Things that come after an initial action or event
- Consequences, results, or subsequent stages
Spangram Clues
Orientation: Vertical
Letter Count: 9 letters
Starting Zone: First letter of the first row
Progressive Spangram Hints
Hint 1 (Gentle): What comes after existence ends
Hint 2 (Warmer): The concept of existence beyond death
Hint 3 (Almost There): First letter is A, last letter is E
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AFTERLIFE
Word-by-Word Hints
Solve as many as you can before peeking. Each word includes escalating clues.
Word 1
Vague: What follows fashion trends
Closer: A particular way of doing or presenting something
Letter Clue: Starts with S, 5 letters total
Answer
STYLE
Word 2
Vague: What follows a complete revolution
Closer: A repeating sequence of events
Letter Clue: Starts with C, 5 letters total
Answer
CYCLE
Word 3
Vague: What follows a team's performance
Closer: Someone who trains athletes
Letter Clue: Starts with C, 5 letters total
Answer
COACH
Word 4
Vague: What follows a conservation effort
Closer: Someone who maintains or protects something
Letter Clue: Starts with P, 9 letters total
Answer
PRESERVER
Word 5
Vague: What follows a clever workaround
Closer: A clever shortcut or unauthorized access
Letter Clue: Starts with H, 4 letters total
Answer
HACK
Word 6
Vague: What follows a teaching session
Closer: A unit of instruction
Letter Clue: Starts with L, 6 letters total
Answer
LESSON
Word 7
Vague: What follows a family connection
Closer: The red fluid in veins
Letter Clue: Starts with B, 5 letters total
Answer
BLOOD
Full Answers
Spangram: AFTERLIFE
Theme Words:
- STYLE
- CYCLE
- COACH
- PRESERVER
- HACK
- LESSON
- BLOOD
Puzzle Debrief
Difficulty Rating: Moderate
Trickiest Word: PRESERVER (The 9-letter length and abstract connection to "what follows" made it less obvious than other words)
Our Take: A clever thematic twist on "It follows" that works both literally and conceptually. The spangram AFTERLIFE perfectly anchors the theme, while the seven theme words explore different interpretations of what comes after something else. The mix of concrete and abstract connections keeps solvers engaged without being overly frustrating.
