NYT Strands puzzle #741, for Saturday, March 14, 2026, has the theme “A math teacher’s favorite dessert.” Start with the gentle hints below; the full seven-word solution and spangram are farther down, after a spoiler warning.
Hints for NYT Strands #741
Start with the theme
The theme is “A math teacher’s favorite dessert.” March 14 is Pi Day, and the puzzle connects the date’s pi pun with pie.
Use an in-game hint if you need one
Find three words that are not theme answers to earn an in-game hint. PC Guide says the hint reveals letters from a theme answer. The optional words reported for this board are DIVE, FRIED, LAST, CHEAT, CAVE, and FLING.
Spangram clue
The spangram is a Pi Day greeting. It has 10 letters in the grid and runs from the left edge to the right edge, with its endpoints on row five.
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Spoiler warning: complete answers below
The following section reveals every answer for puzzle #741.
Spangram
HAPPYPIDAY (written as “HAPPY PI DAY”)
Theme words
- VENT
- CRUST
- FILLING
- LATTICE
- GLAZE
- FRUIT
- EDGES
Why the theme fits
March 14 is commonly called Pi Day because the date is written 3/14, matching the first digits of pi. The spangram, HAPPY PI DAY, links that date pun to pie and the dessert-related theme words.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How difficult is puzzle #741?
PC Guide reports that NYT rates this puzzle “easy.” That is an attributed in-game difficulty label, not a measured completion statistic.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Rank #3
Sources
- TechRadar’s March 14, 2026 Strands guide
- PC Guide’s March 14, 2026 Strands guide
- The March 14, 2026 NYT Strands daily thread
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