Today's NYT Strands is live for Wednesday, May 13, 2026 (Puzzle #801). 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: "You've got..."
What It Really Means
The phrase "you've got..." points to the intangible qualities that separate those who push through from those who give up. Every theme word is a synonym for courage, determination, or inner strength -- the kind of stuff that gets things done.
Think About...
- Traits you'd admire in a leader or underdog
- Words that describe someone who refuses to quit
- Qualities associated with toughness and resilience
Spangram Clues
Orientation: Horizontal (snakes across the grid)
Letter Count: 11 letters
Starting Zone: Third letter of the first row
Progressive Spangram Hints
Hint 1 (Gentle): The phrase that answers the question "what does it take to succeed?" -- a nod to everything required to get the job done.
Hint 2 (Warmer): Think of a classic question about possessing the necessary qualities for a challenge -- it's three words blended into one.
Hint 3 (Almost There): First letter is W, last letter is S
---
---
---
---
---
WHATITTAKES
Word-by-Word Hints
Solve as many as you can before peeking. Each word includes escalating clues.
Word 1
Vague: A quality associated with boldness and audacity
Closer: Often used to describe someone who has the courage to say or do something outrageous
Letter Clue: Starts with N, 5 letters total
Answer
NERVE
Word 2
Vague: Lively spirit and determination
Closer: A mix of courage and spirit, often paired with "and vinegar"
Letter Clue: Starts with S, 5 letters total
Answer
SPUNK
Word 3
Vague: Bold initiative and resourcefulness
Closer: An old-fashioned word for enterprise and common sense, often preceded by "has the"
Letter Clue: Starts with G, 8 letters total
Answer
GUMPTION
Word 4
Vague: Courage in the face of difficulty
Closer: A synonym for bravery that also means to pull or tug at something
Letter Clue: Starts with P, 5 letters total
Answer
PLUCK
Word 5
Vague: Firmness of character and endurance
Closer: Sandpaper-like toughness -- the ability to keep going when things get rough
Letter Clue: Starts with G, 4 letters total
Answer
GRIT
Word 6
Vague: The moral strength to do what's right
Closer: A word for inner strength that's also a type of dietary roughage
Letter Clue: Starts with F, 6 letters total
Answer
FIBER
Word 7
Vague: The core of compassion and courage
Closer: What the Tin Man wanted -- and what every great effort requires at its center
Letter Clue: Starts with H, 5 letters total
Answer
HEART
Full Answers
Spangram: WHATITTAKES
Theme Words:
- NERVE
- SPUNK
- GUMPTION
- PLUCK
- GRIT
- FIBER
- HEART
Puzzle Debrief
Difficulty Rating: Moderate
Trickiest Word: FIBER (Its meaning as "moral strength" is less common than its dietary usage, making it easy to overlook as a theme word about courage)
Our Take: A satisfyingly cohesive theme that pulls together seven distinct synonyms for inner strength. The spangram WHATITTAKES ties it all together neatly, though the snaking path across the grid makes it trickier to spot than a straight-line spangram. Solid midweek challenge with a rewarding "aha" moment when the theme clicks.
