Strands hints: Aug 3, 2026
Revisit the NYT Strands puzzle from Aug 3, 2026 (2026-08-03) with the theme clue, deeper hints, the spangram, and the solved grid all in one place.
Puzzle #1061 · 2026-08-03
Step through the Strands hints
Theme clue: There's nothing like it
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
There's nothing like it
Layer 2 · Answer lengths and spangram direction
Theme answer lengths: 9, 4, 8, 4, 7, 6 letters.
The spangram has 10 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 E at row 7, column 5.
Theme word 2: show a starting point
Starts with O at row 5, column 3.
Theme word 3: show a starting point
Starts with S at row 4, column 3.
Theme word 4: show a starting point
Starts with S at row 2, column 1.
Theme word 5: show a starting point
Starts with S at row 7, column 2.
Theme word 6: show a starting point
Starts with U at row 2, column 5.
Layer 4 · Individual theme answers and paths
Theme word 1: reveal answer
EXCLUSIVE
Theme word 1: reveal path
(7, 5) → (8, 6) → (7, 6) → (6, 6) → (6, 5) → (5, 5) → (5, 6) → (4, 6) → (4, 5)
Theme word 2: reveal answer
ONLY
Theme word 2: reveal path
(5, 3) → (6, 2) → (6, 1) → (5, 1)
Theme word 3: reveal answer
SINGULAR
Theme word 3: reveal path
(4, 3) → (5, 2) → (4, 1) → (3, 1) → (4, 2) → (3, 2) → (3, 3) → (2, 2)
Theme word 4: reveal answer
SOLE
Theme word 4: reveal path
(2, 1) → (1, 1) → (1, 2) → (1, 3)
Theme word 5: reveal answer
SPECIAL
Theme word 5: reveal path
(7, 2) → (7, 1) → (8, 1) → (8, 2) → (8, 3) → (7, 3) → (6, 3)
Theme word 6: reveal answer
UNIQUE
Theme word 6: reveal path
(2, 5) → (3, 5) → (3, 6) → (2, 6) → (1, 6) → (1, 5)
Layer 5 · Spangram help
Show the spangram’s starting point
10 letters. Starts with O at row 2, column 3.
Reveal the spangram
ONEOFAKIND
Reveal the spangram’s path
(2, 3) → (1, 4) → (2, 4) → (3, 4) → (4, 4) → (5, 4) → (6, 4) → (7, 4) → (8, 5) → (8, 4)
Layer 6 · Solved grid and all answers
Blue cells = theme words. Gold cells = spangram.
Theme answers: EXCLUSIVE, ONLY, SINGULAR, SOLE, SPECIAL, UNIQUE. Spangram: ONEOFAKIND.
Theme clue
There's nothing like it
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