In the event you’re on the lookout for hints and solutions for Strands for Thursday, July 9, 2026, learn on—I’ll share some clues and suggestions, and at last the answer to the puzzle with the theme “On the lips.”
For a simple strategy to come again to our Strands hints on daily basis, bookmark this web page. You too can discover our previous hints there as nicely, in case you wish to know what you missed in a earlier puzzle. (In the event you play Wordle or Connections, try our hints for these video games, too.)
Beneath, I’ll provide you with some indirect hints at at present’s Strands solutions. And farther down the web page, I’ll reveal the spangram and the solutions. Scroll slowly and take simply the hints you want!
Credit score: Strands/NYT
Trace for the spangram in at present’s Strands puzzle
If two of your folks obtained into an argument, you would possibly use this affectionate-sounding phrase to inform them to recover from it and transfer on.
Trace for the theme phrases in at present’s Strands puzzle
Lip merchandise.
BEWARE: Spoilers observe for at present’s Strands puzzle!
We’re about to provide away the solutions to at present’s Strands puzzle.
What’s the spangram in at present’s Strands?
At the moment’s spangram is KISSANDMAKEUP.
What are the theme phrases in at present’s Strands?
The theme phrases at present are STICK, STAIN, LINER, GLOSS, BALM, TINT, PLUMPER.
Right here’s what the board seems to be like when the puzzle is solved:
Credit score: Strands/NYT
How I solved at present’s Strands
Perhaps at present’s puzzle is about kissing?
No, I see STICK within the higher left. 🔵 It should be lip merchandise.
STAIN is within the higher proper. 🔵
GLOSS is beneath STAIN. 🔵
PLUMPER is within the backside proper. 🔵
I see the phrase KISS ranging from the left edge—that needs to be the beginning of the spangram, proper? Yeah, it’s KISSANDMAKEUP. 🟡 That’s intelligent.
LINER is beneath STICK. 🔵
What do you suppose to date?
BALM is beneath the beginning of the spangram. 🔵
Lastly, TINT. 🔵
Strands #858 “On the lips” 🔵🔵🔵🔵 🟡🔵🔵🔵
Easy methods to play Strands
Yow will discover the Strands recreation on the New York Occasions web site and within the NYT Video games app.
Once you begin taking part in, you’ll see a recreation board with an assortment of letters, flanked by a clue that offers a touch on the board’s theme—this might be a phrase, like “Higher with age.” Your job is to search out the hidden phrases inside the board that mirror the puzzle’s theme.
A crossword crossed with a phrase search
Crucial phrase to search out is the “spangram,” a phrase that extra explicitly states the puzzle’s theme. (For instance, the spangram for the puzzle with the theme “Higher with age” is FERMENTED, which describes merchandise which can be, you guessed it, higher with age.) The spangram will span the whole recreation board, both from left to proper or prime to backside (therefore the title). Once you discover the spangram, will probably be highlighted in yellow. Fixing the spangram normally makes the remainder of the puzzle a lot simpler to finish.
In Strands, phrases can journey any path (up, down, left, proper, and diagonal), and you’ll solely use every letter as soon as. There is just one right answer. Once you appropriately establish one of many puzzle’s phrases (for instance, KOMBUCHA, MISO, or KIMCHI), will probably be highlighted in blue.
In case you are struggling to resolve the puzzle, you may submit any non-theme phrases you see (so long as they’re 4 letters or extra) to obtain credit score towards a single trace. In the event you submit three non-theme phrases, the “Trace” button might be clickable; when you click on it, all the letters in one of many theme phrases might be highlighted for you. You’ll nonetheless need to hyperlink these highlighted letters in the proper order to type one of many theme phrases. If there may be already a touch on the board and you utilize one other trace earlier than fixing for that phrase, that phrase’s letter order might be revealed.
Easy methods to win Strands
In contrast to Connections and Wordle, you can’t fail Strands. Once you submit guesses, you’ll both appropriately establish a solution, obtain credit score towards a touch, or the textual content will shake forwards and backwards, indicating that the phrase you submitted is just too brief or not legitimate. You’ll be able to’t run out of guesses, and there’s no time restrict.
You win once you’ve appropriately used all of the letters on the board, that means that you’ve got recognized the spangram and all the theme phrases. Like different NYT video games, upon fixing the puzzle, you will notice a shareable card that signifies the way you carried out that day: blue dots 🔵 point out theme phrases you discovered, the yellow dot 🟡 signifies once you discovered the spangram, and a lightbulb 💡 signifies phrases that you simply obtained a touch for.
Not the day you are after? This is the answer to yesterday’s Strands.