Should you’re searching for hints and solutions for Strands for Thursday, Might 28, 2026, learn on—I’ll share some clues and suggestions, and eventually the answer to the puzzle with the theme “Speaking scents.”
For a simple option to come again to our Strands hints daily, bookmark this web page. You can too discover our previous hints there as nicely, in case you need to know what you missed in a earlier puzzle. (Should you play Wordle or Connections, try our hints for these video games, too.)
Beneath, I’ll offer you 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
What you would possibly spritz in your neck or wrists.
Trace for the theme phrases in at present’s Strands puzzle
Particular smells you would possibly see on a label.
BEWARE: Spoilers comply with 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 FRAGRANCE.
What are the theme phrases in at present’s Strands?
The theme phrases at present are SANDALWOOD, MUSK, NEROLI, JASMINE, PEAR, BERGAMOT.
Right here’s what the board seems like when the puzzle is solved:
Credit score: Strands/NYT
How I solved at present’s Strands
I’ll begin searching for phrases associated to perfume.
I see PEAR within the higher proper, and it’s (surprisingly) a success. 🔵 Perhaps it’s particular scent notes you would possibly discover in a fragrance.
JASMINE is to the left of PEAR. 🔵
SANDALWOOD is within the higher left. 🔵
I see the spangram between the earlier two phrases: FRAGRANCE. 🟡
MUSK is under SANDALWOOD. 🔵
What do you suppose to date?
NEROLI is within the backside left. 🔵 I’ve by no means heard of that, however apparently it comes from the bitter orange tree.
Lastly, BERGAMOT. 🔵
Strands #816 “Speaking scents” 🔵🔵🔵🟡 🔵🔵🔵
How one can play Strands
You will discover the Strands sport on the New York Instances web site and within the NYT Video games app.
Once you begin enjoying, you’ll see a sport board with an assortment of letters, flanked by a clue that offers a touch on the board’s theme—this shall be a phrase, like “Higher with age.” Your job is to search out the hidden phrases throughout the board that mirror the puzzle’s theme.
A crossword crossed with a phrase search
An important 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 complete sport board, both from left to proper or high to backside (therefore the title). Once you discover the spangram, it is going to 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 course (up, down, left, proper, and diagonal), and you’ll solely use every letter as soon as. There is just one right answer. Once you accurately establish one of many puzzle’s phrases (for instance, KOMBUCHA, MISO, or KIMCHI), it is going to be highlighted in blue.
If you’re struggling to resolve the puzzle, you possibly can submit any non-theme phrases you see (so long as they’re 4 letters or extra) to obtain credit score towards a single trace. Should you submit three non-theme phrases, the “Trace” button shall be clickable; in the event you click on it, all the letters in one of many theme phrases shall be highlighted for you. You’ll nonetheless need to hyperlink these highlighted letters in the precise order to type one of many theme phrases. If there’s already a touch on the board and you employ one other trace earlier than fixing for that phrase, that phrase’s letter order shall be revealed.
How one can win Strands
In contrast to Connections and Wordle, you can’t fail Strands. Once you submit guesses, you’ll both accurately establish a solution, obtain credit score towards a touch, or the textual content will shake backwards and forwards, indicating that the phrase you submitted is simply too brief or not legitimate. You possibly can’t run out of guesses, and there’s no time restrict.
You win if you’ve accurately 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 note a shareable card that signifies the way you carried out that day: blue dots 🔵 point out theme phrases you discovered, the yellow dot 🟡 signifies if you discovered the spangram, and a lightbulb 💡 signifies phrases that you simply obtained a touch for.
Not the day you are after? Here is the answer to yesterday’s Strands.