Strands hints: Jun 20, 2026
Revisit the NYT Strands puzzle from Jun 20, 2026 (2026-06-20) with the theme clue, deeper hints, the spangram, and the solved grid all in one place.
Puzzle #1046 · 2026-06-20
Step through the Strands hints
Theme clue: Knicks knack
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
Knicks knack
Layer 2 · Answer lengths and spangram direction
Theme answer lengths: 5, 9, 9, 7, 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 C at row 3, column 1.
Theme word 2: show a starting point
Starts with C at row 1, column 2.
Theme word 3: show a starting point
Starts with J at row 5, column 2.
Theme word 4: show a starting point
Starts with M at row 7, column 3.
Theme word 5: show a starting point
Starts with R at row 6, column 6.
Layer 4 · Individual theme answers and paths
Theme word 1: reveal answer
CHANT
Theme word 1: reveal path
(3, 1) → (4, 1) → (4, 2) → (4, 3) → (5, 3)
Theme word 2: reveal answer
COURTSIDE
Theme word 2: reveal path
(1, 2) → (2, 3) → (2, 4) → (2, 5) → (2, 6) → (1, 6) → (1, 5) → (1, 4) → (1, 3)
Theme word 3: reveal answer
JUMBOTRON
Theme word 3: reveal path
(5, 2) → (5, 1) → (6, 1) → (7, 1) → (8, 1) → (8, 2) → (8, 3) → (7, 2) → (6, 2)
Theme word 4: reveal answer
MARQUEE
Theme word 4: reveal path
(7, 3) → (6, 3) → (5, 4) → (4, 4) → (5, 5) → (6, 5) → (6, 4)
Theme word 5: reveal answer
RAFTERS
Theme word 5: reveal path
(6, 6) → (7, 6) → (8, 6) → (8, 5) → (8, 4) → (7, 4) → (7, 5)
Layer 5 · Spangram help
Show the spangram’s starting point
11 letters. Starts with G at row 1, column 1.
Reveal the spangram
GARDENPARTY
Reveal the spangram’s path
(1, 1) → (2, 1) → (2, 2) → (3, 2) → (3, 3) → (3, 4) → (3, 5) → (4, 5) → (5, 6) → (4, 6) → (3, 6)
Layer 6 · Solved grid and all answers
Blue cells = theme words. Gold cells = spangram.
Theme answers: CHANT, COURTSIDE, JUMBOTRON, MARQUEE, RAFTERS. Spangram: GARDENPARTY.
Theme clue
Knicks knack
Want another date? Browse the Strands archive. Looking for today's puzzle instead? Go back to the main hints page.