Listed here are the solutions for the NYT Strands puzzle #861 at this time, launched on July twelfth, 2026, and a few hints that can assist you remedy them.
The New York Instances are identified for the wide selection of video games they publish for readers to finish on the each day. That they had additionally printed the viral phrase recreation, Wordle, in 2022, so as to add to their assortment.
A brand new recreation has been launched by the paper, known as Strands, which is at the moment in beta. On this recreation, there’s a theme of phrases on a board and it’s worthwhile to discover the theme associated phrases.
After you have discovered a theme associated phrase, it should keep stuffed in blue and to create these phrases, you will want to tug or sort the letters. All the letters on the board are used to make up phrases for the theme and the letters don’t overlap into different phrases.

There may be additionally a “spangram” which is a phrase on the board that describes the theme of the puzzle for the day. It’ll contact two reverse sides of the board and could also be two phrases.
After you have discovered the spangram phrase, it should keep highlighted in yellow.
An instance of a spangram is FRUIT, and the opposite themed phrases could be PEAR, BANANA and APPLE.

If you’re struggling to search out any phrases regarding the theme, you may attempt to discover different phrases on the board, which won’t keep highlighted, however will assist you to to get hints. You have to to search out three non-theme phrases to get a touch.
Strands 861 Hints Today (July twelfth, 2026)
Today’s theme or trace for the puzzle is, “IN THE BIG APPLE” and there are eight theme phrases to be discovered.

Extra hints that can assist you remedy the Strands puzzle launched at this time is:
- There are two phrases within the Spangram at this time.
- There are six and 5 letters within the Spangram phrases at this time.
Strands 861 Spangram Reply Today (July twelfth, 2026)
With each puzzle, there’s a spangram, which helps describe the theme. The spangram for the puzzle launched on July twelfth is:
EMPIRE STATE
The phrase begins on the backside and ends on the prime of the grid.
The precise location of the Spangram phrase will be seen beneath:

Strands 861 Answer Today (7/12/2026)
Listed here are all the different themed phrases for the Stands 861 puzzle:
- BAGEL
- STOOP
- DELI
- BODEGA
- TAXI
- SUBWAY
- BOROUGH

Tell us within the feedback beneath which phrases you bought caught on.
