Strands hints: Sep 8, 2026
Revisit the NYT Strands puzzle from Sep 8, 2026 (2026-09-08) with the theme clue, deeper hints, the spangram, and the solved grid all in one place.
Puzzle #1107 · 2026-09-08
Step through the Strands hints
Theme clue: It's elementary!
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
It's elementary!
Layer 2 · Answer lengths and spangram direction
Theme answer lengths: 5, 4, 5, 5, 7, 10 letters.
The spangram has 12 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 4, column 5.
Theme word 2: show a starting point
Starts with D at row 7, column 5.
Theme word 3: show a starting point
Starts with E at row 3, column 3.
Theme word 4: show a starting point
Starts with G at row 2, column 4.
Theme word 5: show a starting point
Starts with M at row 7, column 4.
Theme word 6: show a starting point
Starts with W at row 6, column 4.
Layer 4 · Individual theme answers and paths
Theme word 1: reveal answer
CUBBY
Theme word 1: reveal path
(4, 5) → (4, 6) → (5, 6) → (6, 6) → (5, 5)
Theme word 2: reveal answer
DESK
Theme word 2: reveal path
(7, 5) → (8, 4) → (8, 5) → (8, 6)
Theme word 3: reveal answer
EASEL
Theme word 3: reveal path
(3, 3) → (4, 4) → (3, 4) → (2, 3) → (2, 2)
Theme word 4: reveal answer
GLOBE
Theme word 4: reveal path
(2, 4) → (2, 5) → (3, 5) → (3, 6) → (2, 6)
Theme word 5: reveal answer
MARKERS
Theme word 5: reveal path
(7, 4) → (7, 3) → (8, 3) → (8, 2) → (7, 2) → (7, 1) → (8, 1)
Theme word 6: reveal answer
WHITEBOARD
Theme word 6: reveal path
(6, 4) → (6, 3) → (6, 2) → (6, 1) → (5, 1) → (5, 2) → (4, 1) → (3, 1) → (4, 2) → (5, 3)
Layer 5 · Spangram help
Show the spangram’s starting point
12 letters. Starts with B at row 1, column 6.
Reveal the spangram
BACKTOSCHOOL
Reveal the spangram’s path
(1, 6) → (1, 5) → (1, 4) → (1, 3) → (1, 2) → (1, 1) → (2, 1) → (3, 2) → (4, 3) → (5, 4) → (6, 5) → (7, 6)
Layer 6 · Solved grid and all answers
Blue cells = theme words. Gold cells = spangram.
Theme answers: CUBBY, DESK, EASEL, GLOBE, MARKERS, WHITEBOARD. Spangram: BACKTOSCHOOL.
Theme clue
It's elementary!
Want another date? Browse the Strands archive. Looking for today's puzzle instead? Go back to the main hints page.