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NYT Strands puzzle #731 is the edition for March 4, 2026. Its theme is “Piece of cake,” and the spangram is BAKING AISLE. If you want to avoid spoilers, start with the theme clue and reveal only as much as you need.
Theme clue
The theme is “Piece of cake.” PC Guide describes the puzzle’s difficulty as moderate.
Spangram hints
Need another nudge? The spangram has 11 letters across two words. It starts with B and ends with E. According to PC Guide, its route begins in the first column, runs along the last row, then reaches the second column on that row.
Non-theme hint words
Finding three non-theme words earns an in-game hint that reveals letters of a theme word. The clue words listed for this puzzle are:
- SLANG
- STING
- FALL
- CAFE
- SOFA
- SELL
Full answers — spoilers
The complete solution has six theme words. The spangram is shown without a space in the game:
- SUGAR
- FLOUR
- VANILLA
- CANDLES
- FROSTING
- COCOA
- Spangram: BAKING AISLE
Why the date matters
March 4 has a different Strands puzzle in the 2025 archive: that one was #366, themed “It’s our game-iversary!” Its spangram was STRANDS, not BAKING AISLE. This guide is for March 4, 2026, puzzle #731.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How Strands works
PC Guide describes the board as a 6-by-8 grid of 48 letters. Connect adjacent letters in any direction to form theme words; together, the theme words cover the board. The spangram captures the theme, touches opposite sides, and is highlighted yellow when found. Three non-theme words earn a hint that reveals letters of a theme word.
Sources: PC Guide’s March 4, 2026 Strands guide; WordHint’s March 4, 2025 archive entry.
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