Strands hints: May 2, 2026
Revisit the NYT Strands puzzle from May 2, 2026 (2026-05-02) with the theme clue, deeper hints, the spangram, and the solved grid all in one place.
Puzzle #963 · 2026-05-02
Step through the Strands hints
Theme clue: All the right moves
7 theme words and one spangram. Reveal only the help you need.
Rows run from 1 to 8, top to bottom; columns from 1 to 6, left to right. A path may move to a neighbouring cell, including diagonally.
Layer 1 · Theme clue
All the right moves
Layer 2 · Answer lengths and spangram direction
Theme answer lengths: 7, 4, 4, 6, 5, 7, 6 letters.
The spangram has 9 letters. Connects the top and bottom edges.
Layer 3 · Where to start looking
Choose one word without revealing the others.
Theme word 1: show a starting point
Starts with C at row 6, column 5.
Theme word 2: show a starting point
Starts with K at row 6, column 2.
Theme word 3: show a starting point
Starts with P at row 2, column 1.
Theme word 4: show a starting point
Starts with S at row 3, column 4.
Theme word 5: show a starting point
Starts with S at row 3, column 2.
Theme word 6: show a starting point
Starts with S at row 6, column 1.
Theme word 7: show a starting point
Starts with W at row 1, column 4.
Layer 4 · Individual theme answers and paths
Theme word 1: reveal answer
COASTER
Theme word 1: reveal path
(6, 5) → (5, 5) → (6, 6) → (7, 5) → (7, 6) → (8, 6) → (8, 5)
Theme word 2: reveal answer
KICK
Theme word 2: reveal path
(6, 2) → (5, 2) → (5, 3) → (6, 3)
Theme word 3: reveal answer
PONY
Theme word 3: reveal path
(2, 1) → (2, 2) → (1, 1) → (1, 2)
Theme word 4: reveal answer
SAILOR
Theme word 4: reveal path
(3, 4) → (3, 5) → (4, 5) → (5, 6) → (4, 6) → (3, 6)
Theme word 5: reveal answer
SCUFF
Theme word 5: reveal path
(3, 2) → (3, 1) → (4, 1) → (4, 2) → (5, 1)
Theme word 6: reveal answer
SHUFFLE
Theme word 6: reveal path
(6, 1) → (7, 1) → (7, 2) → (7, 3) → (8, 3) → (8, 2) → (8, 1)
Theme word 7: reveal answer
WIZARD
Theme word 7: reveal path
(1, 4) → (1, 5) → (1, 6) → (2, 6) → (2, 5) → (2, 4)
Layer 5 · Spangram help
Show the spangram’s starting point
9 letters. Starts with L at row 1, column 3.
Reveal the spangram
LINEDANCE
Reveal the spangram’s path
(1, 3) → (2, 3) → (3, 3) → (4, 3) → (4, 4) → (5, 4) → (6, 4) → (7, 4) → (8, 4)
Layer 6 · Solved grid and all answers
Blue cells = theme words. Gold cells = spangram.
Theme answers: COASTER, KICK, PONY, SAILOR, SCUFF, SHUFFLE, WIZARD. Spangram: LINEDANCE.
Theme clue
All the right moves
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