Today's NYT Strands is live for Wednesday, May 6, 2026 (Puzzle #794). 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: "Get-up-and-go!"
What It Really Means
This theme is all about energy, motion, and upward momentum. Every word connects to the idea of rising, moving higher, or shining bright. Think verbs and qualities associated with waking up, getting moving, and making an impression.
Think About...
- Actions you take when you're full of energy and ready to tackle the day
- Words that describe upward movement or gaining altitude
- Qualities of something that catches your eye with brightness or brilliance
Spangram Clues
Orientation: Diagonal (up, down, across and up)
Letter Count: 12 letters
Starting Zone: First letter of the sixth row
Progressive Spangram Hints
Hint 1 (Gentle): Think of what you do when the alarm goes off and you're ready to own the day.
Hint 2 (Warmer): It's a compound phrase that captures waking up and showing the world what you've got.
Hint 3 (Almost There): First letter is R, last letter is E
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RISEANDSHINE
Word-by-Word Hints
Solve as many as you can before peeking. Each word includes escalating clues.
Word 1
Vague: What a bird does when it catches a thermal.
Closer: To fly high without flapping, relying on upward air currents.
Letter Clue: Starts with S, 4 letters total
Answer
SOAR
Word 2
Vague: What you do when you're heading straight up.
Closer: To move upward using effort, often with hands and feet.
Letter Clue: Starts with C, 5 letters total
Answer
CLIMB
Word 3
Vague: A formal way to say "go up."
Closer: To move upward, often used for elevators, stairs, or rising spirits.
Letter Clue: Starts with A, 6 letters total
Answer
ASCEND
Word 4
Vague: What a well-cut diamond does under a spotlight.
Closer: To give off small flashes of brilliant light, like glitter or twinkles.
Letter Clue: Starts with S, 7 letters total
Answer
SPARKLE
Word 5
Vague: A softer cousin of sparkle, more like a glow.
Closer: To emit a soft, wavering light or glow, like heat haze on a summer road.
Letter Clue: Starts with S, 7 letters total
Answer
SHIMMER
Word 6
Vague: What the sun does, and what you do when you're full of charisma.
Closer: To send out energy, light, or warmth in all directions.
Letter Clue: Starts with R, 7 letters total
Answer
RADIATE
Full Answers
Spangram: RISEANDSHINE
Theme Words:
- SOAR
- CLIMB
- ASCEND
- SPARKLE
- SHIMMER
- RADIATE
Puzzle Debrief
Difficulty Rating: Moderate
Trickiest Word: SHIMMER (Close to SPARKLE in meaning, making it easy to confuse the two or second-guess which one goes where in the grid. The overlapping letter counts and shared starting letter add to the challenge.)
Our Take: A solid midweek Strands with a clean, motivational theme. The spangram RISEANDSHINE is a rewarding find that ties the upward-motion verbs (SOAR, CLIMB, ASCEND) to the brightness words (SPARKLE, SHIMMER, RADIATE) with satisfying logic. Nothing too punishing, but enough nuance to keep you engaged.
