Strands hints: Nov 14, 2026
Revisit the NYT Strands puzzle from Nov 14, 2026 (2026-11-14) with the theme clue, deeper hints, the spangram, and the solved grid all in one place.
Puzzle #986 · 2026-11-14
Step through the Strands hints
Theme clue: Preschool fun
7 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
Preschool fun
Layer 2 · Answer lengths and spangram direction
Theme answer lengths: 6, 4, 5, 4, 4, 6, 4 letters.
The spangram has 15 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 G at row 3, column 6.
Theme word 2: show a starting point
Starts with J at row 8, column 2.
Theme word 3: show a starting point
Starts with M at row 5, column 3.
Theme word 4: show a starting point
Starts with S at row 7, column 2.
Theme word 5: show a starting point
Starts with S at row 2, column 3.
Theme word 6: show a starting point
Starts with T at row 3, column 2.
Theme word 7: show a starting point
Starts with W at row 6, column 2.
Layer 4 · Individual theme answers and paths
Theme word 1: reveal answer
GALLOP
Theme word 1: reveal path
(3, 6) → (2, 5) → (1, 4) → (1, 5) → (1, 6) → (2, 6)
Theme word 2: reveal answer
JUMP
Theme word 2: reveal path
(8, 2) → (8, 3) → (8, 4) → (7, 3)
Theme word 3: reveal answer
MARCH
Theme word 3: reveal path
(5, 3) → (4, 4) → (5, 5) → (6, 4) → (5, 4)
Theme word 4: reveal answer
SKIP
Theme word 4: reveal path
(7, 2) → (6, 1) → (7, 1) → (8, 1)
Theme word 5: reveal answer
SPIN
Theme word 5: reveal path
(2, 3) → (1, 2) → (1, 3) → (2, 4)
Theme word 6: reveal answer
TIPTOE
Theme word 6: reveal path
(3, 2) → (4, 1) → (3, 1) → (2, 1) → (1, 1) → (2, 2)
Theme word 7: reveal answer
WALK
Theme word 7: reveal path
(6, 2) → (6, 3) → (7, 4) → (8, 5)
Layer 5 · Spangram help
Show the spangram’s starting point
15 letters. Starts with F at row 5, column 1.
Reveal the spangram
FOLLOWTHELEADER
Reveal the spangram’s path
(5, 1) → (5, 2) → (4, 2) → (4, 3) → (3, 3) → (3, 4) → (3, 5) → (4, 5) → (4, 6) → (5, 6) → (6, 6) → (6, 5) → (7, 5) → (7, 6) → (8, 6)
Layer 6 · Solved grid and all answers
Blue cells = theme words. Gold cells = spangram.
Theme answers: GALLOP, JUMP, MARCH, SKIP, SPIN, TIPTOE, WALK. Spangram: FOLLOWTHELEADER.
Theme clue
Preschool fun
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