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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Need a hint for NYT Strands #680, dated Monday, January 12, 2026? The theme is “Appeal to a hire power,” and the gentle nudge is Get a job. Letter prompts and the full answer list are below, with the solution clearly marked as a spoiler.
Today’s Strands hint
Theme: “Appeal to a hire power.”
Gentle hint: Get a job.
The answers use job-application and résumé vocabulary. That connection is a clue to the wordplay, not a claim that every answer is a required résumé section.
First-letter prompts
Use these in order if you want a little more help before seeing the answers:
- NA
- AW
- SK
- ED
- CO
- EX
- RE (the spangram)
How Strands works
In the NYT instructions reproduced by Parade’s January 12 guide, players connect letters by dragging or tapping to find words. Theme words fill the board without overlapping. Finding three non-theme words earns a hint that reveals the letters of a theme word. The spangram captures the puzzle’s theme and touches two opposite sides of the board.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsSpoilers: January 12 Strands answers
Stop here if you want to solve the board without seeing the solution.
Spangram: RESUME. Its path mixes diagonal and horizontal moves.
Theme words:
- NAME
- AWARDS
- SKILLS
- EDUCATION
- CONTACT
- EXPERIENCE
The date-specific guide and puzzle archives identify this as Strands #680. The answer set is reported consistently across the archives, though the lists present the six theme words in different orders.
Quick Recap
Rank #3
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