NYT Strands puzzle #693 for Sunday, January 25, 2026, has the theme “The straight and narrow.” Its spangram is STICKYSITUATION, and the seven theme words are BATON, CANE, DOWEL, PICKET, POLE, POST, and STAKE. Hints and answers below, with the full solution separated for spoiler control.
Hints for NYT Strands #693
This is a dated puzzle from January 25, 2026, not the current day’s Strands game.
Theme clue
The straight and narrow.
A gentler hint
Think of slender, rigid, stick-like objects.
Spangram hint
WordHint offers this clue: “When lots of little rods make life awkward, you’re in it 😬” It describes the 15-letter spangram as running from bottom to top. WordHint’s January 25 guide
What is the theme of today’s NYT Strands?
The theme is “The straight and narrow.” The answers are long, narrow objects, including a baton, cane, dowel, picket, pole, post, and stake. WordHint and TechRadar agree on this answer set; Parade confirms the theme and spangram but publishes a different list of theme words, so its list is not included here.
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Spangram: STICKYSITUATION
Theme words:
- BATON
- CANE
- DOWEL
- PICKET
- POLE
- POST
- STAKE
TechRadar identifies this as game #693 and describes the spangram as reaching opposite sides of the grid. TechRadar’s game #693 guide
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How Strands hints and the spangram work
Parade’s guide describes theme words as filling the board without overlapping and turning blue when found. It says the spangram describes the theme, touches opposite sides of the grid, and is highlighted yellow. The guide also says finding three non-theme words earns an in-game hint that reveals letters from a theme word. These mechanics are reported by Parade; they are not independently confirmed here against official NYT rules. Parade’s January 25 guide
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