Strands hints: May 15, 2026
Revisit the NYT Strands puzzle from May 15, 2026 (2026-05-15) with the theme clue, deeper hints, the spangram, and the solved grid all in one place.
Puzzle #803 · 2026-05-15
Step through the Strands hints
Theme clue: Weaselly wascals
6 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
Weaselly wascals
Layer 2 · Answer lengths and spangram direction
Theme answer lengths: 6, 6, 6, 5, 7, 9 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 B at row 3, column 5.
Theme word 2: show a starting point
Starts with F at row 6, column 5.
Theme word 3: show a starting point
Starts with M at row 6, column 2.
Theme word 4: show a starting point
Starts with O at row 8, column 1.
Theme word 5: show a starting point
Starts with P at row 3, column 1.
Theme word 6: show a starting point
Starts with W at row 5, column 4.
Layer 4 · Individual theme answers and paths
Theme word 1: reveal answer
BADGER
Theme word 1: reveal path
(3, 5) → (4, 5) → (5, 5) → (5, 6) → (4, 6) → (3, 6)
Theme word 2: reveal answer
FERRET
Theme word 2: reveal path
(6, 5) → (7, 5) → (8, 5) → (8, 6) → (7, 6) → (6, 6)
Theme word 3: reveal answer
MARTEN
Theme word 3: reveal path
(6, 2) → (7, 1) → (6, 1) → (5, 1) → (4, 1) → (5, 2)
Theme word 4: reveal answer
OTTER
Theme word 4: reveal path
(8, 1) → (8, 2) → (7, 2) → (7, 3) → (8, 3)
Theme word 5: reveal answer
POLECAT
Theme word 5: reveal path
(3, 1) → (4, 2) → (3, 2) → (2, 2) → (1, 2) → (1, 1) → (2, 1)
Theme word 6: reveal answer
WOLVERINE
Theme word 6: reveal path
(5, 4) → (4, 4) → (3, 4) → (2, 4) → (2, 5) → (2, 6) → (1, 6) → (1, 5) → (1, 4)
Layer 5 · Spangram help
Show the spangram’s starting point
9 letters. Starts with M at row 1, column 3.
Reveal the spangram
MUSTELIDS
Reveal the spangram’s path
(1, 3) → (2, 3) → (3, 3) → (4, 3) → (5, 3) → (6, 3) → (6, 4) → (7, 4) → (8, 4)
Layer 6 · Solved grid and all answers
Blue cells = theme words. Gold cells = spangram.
Theme answers: BADGER, FERRET, MARTEN, OTTER, POLECAT, WOLVERINE. Spangram: MUSTELIDS.
Theme clue
Weaselly wascals
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