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Strands is a daily New York Times word-search game in which you connect adjacent letters to find theme words and one spangram. The puzzle’s built-in Hint becomes available after you find three accepted non-theme words—not after three incorrect guesses.
For Strands #887, dated Friday, August 7, 2026, the theme is “Struggling to find the words.” The puzzle uses colloquial terms for an unspecified object, including DINGUS and THINGAMAJIGGY. Because the complete answer grid is not reliably confirmed here, use the official game to verify the remaining entries before treating any full answer list as definitive.
How to play Strands
Open the official NYT Strands game. Each puzzle has a 6-by-8 grid containing 48 letters. Drag across adjacent letters to form words; moves may be horizontal, vertical, diagonal, and may change direction.
Your goal is to find every theme word and the puzzle’s spangram. The spangram identifies the theme and touches two opposite edges of the grid. It may curve or zigzag; it does not have to run in a straight line.
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When the puzzle is solved, every letter has been used. Theme words and the spangram do not overlap, and the number of theme words varies from puzzle to puzzle.
Strands #887 hint
The theme clue is “Struggling to find the words.” Think of informal, sometimes deliberately vague names for an object—the sort of words people use when they cannot remember its exact name.
Two confirmed entries are:
- DINGUS
- THINGAMAJIGGY
How the in-game Hint works
- Find three valid words that are not part of the theme.
- Once those three words are accepted, the gray Hint control becomes usable.
- Select Hint to highlight all the letters belonging to one undiscovered theme word.
- Connect the highlighted letters in the correct order to solve that word.
These are not failed guesses. You can deliberately enter three ordinary, accepted words unrelated to the theme to fill the meter. If you use another hint while the first hinted word is still unsolved, the game reveals that word’s letter order instead of only highlighting its letters.
What to look for in today’s grid
For this puzzle, search for synonyms and colloquial substitutes for an unnamed thing. Words such as “thingamajiggy” and “dingus” suggest a set built around playful or imprecise object names rather than a conventional category.
Start by scanning for unusual letter clusters and long chains. Save the most obvious thematic-looking words until you have checked whether they can connect cleanly across the grid. The spangram should explain why the answers belong together and will touch two opposite edges.
Common Strands mistakes
- Assuming there are always six answers: the number of theme words is different in different puzzles.
- Looking only for straight lines: answers can turn, and the spangram can curve or zigzag.
- Expecting the spangram to be the longest word: its defining feature is its thematic function and edge-to-edge placement, not its length.
- Submitting three wrong guesses: the Hint meter requires three accepted non-theme words.
- Expecting a hint to solve the word: the initial hint identifies the letters, but you still have to connect them in order.
- Rejecting an unfamiliar entry: Strands may accept colloquialisms, specialized terms, proper names, plurals, and unusual spellings.
Where to check official help
The authoritative place to play and confirm a completed grid is the official NYT Strands page. The NYT Games section may also publish Strands Sidekick pages. Those editorial pages are separate from the in-game Hint button.
Independent websites and fan archives may publish daily hints and solutions, but they are not official NYT answer pages. Check the puzzle date and number carefully when comparing a solution.
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