Strands hints: May 11, 2026
Revisit the NYT Strands puzzle from May 11, 2026 (2026-05-11) with the theme clue, deeper hints, the spangram, and the solved grid all in one place.
Puzzle #799 · 2026-05-11
Step through the Strands hints
Theme clue: A nice medley
5 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
A nice medley
Layer 2 · Answer lengths and spangram direction
Theme answer lengths: 10, 6, 8, 6, 7 letters.
The spangram has 11 letters. Connects the left and right edges.
Layer 3 · Where to start looking
Choose one word without revealing the others.
Theme word 1: show a starting point
Starts with H at row 1, column 1.
Theme word 2: show a starting point
Starts with J at row 5, column 4.
Theme word 3: show a starting point
Starts with M at row 6, column 3.
Theme word 4: show a starting point
Starts with R at row 5, column 6.
Theme word 5: show a starting point
Starts with V at row 3, column 1.
Layer 4 · Individual theme answers and paths
Theme word 1: reveal answer
HODGEPODGE
Theme word 1: reveal path
(1, 1) → (1, 2) → (1, 3) → (1, 4) → (1, 5) → (2, 5) → (2, 4) → (2, 3) → (2, 2) → (2, 1)
Theme word 2: reveal answer
JUMBLE
Theme word 2: reveal path
(5, 4) → (6, 4) → (6, 5) → (7, 5) → (7, 4) → (7, 3)
Theme word 3: reveal answer
MISHMASH
Theme word 3: reveal path
(6, 3) → (6, 2) → (5, 2) → (6, 1) → (7, 2) → (8, 2) → (8, 1) → (7, 1)
Theme word 4: reveal answer
RAGBAG
Theme word 4: reveal path
(5, 6) → (4, 6) → (3, 5) → (3, 6) → (2, 6) → (1, 6)
Theme word 5: reveal answer
VARIETY
Theme word 5: reveal path
(3, 1) → (4, 1) → (3, 2) → (3, 3) → (4, 3) → (3, 4) → (4, 5)
Layer 5 · Spangram help
Show the spangram’s starting point
11 letters. Starts with O at row 5, column 1.
Reveal the spangram
ODDSANDENDS
Reveal the spangram’s path
(5, 1) → (4, 2) → (5, 3) → (4, 4) → (5, 5) → (6, 6) → (7, 6) → (8, 6) → (8, 5) → (8, 4) → (8, 3)
Layer 6 · Solved grid and all answers
Blue cells = theme words. Gold cells = spangram.
Theme answers: HODGEPODGE, JUMBLE, MISHMASH, RAGBAG, VARIETY. Spangram: ODDSANDENDS.
Theme clue
A nice medley
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