\n If you\u2019re looking for hints and answers for Strands for Monday, July 20, 2026, read on\u2014I\u2019ll share some clues and tips, and finally the solution to the puzzle with the theme \u201cSmall talk.\u201d<\/p>\n
For an easy way to come back to our Strands hints every day, bookmark this page<\/u><\/a>. You can also find our past hints there as well, in case you want to know what you missed in a previous puzzle. (If you play Wordle<\/u><\/a> or Connections<\/u><\/a>, check out our hints for those games, too.)\u00a0<\/p>\n Below, I\u2019ll give you some oblique hints at today\u2019s Strands answers. And farther down the page, I\u2019ll reveal the spangram and the answers. Scroll slowly and take just the hints you need!\u00a0<\/p>\n How a spider is described in a classic children\u2019s song.<\/p>\n Size descriptors.<\/p>\n We\u2019re about to give away the answers to today\u2019s Strands puzzle.\u00a0<\/p>\n Today\u2019s spangram is ITSYBITSY.<\/p>\n The theme words today are LITTLE, MICROSCOPIC, TINY, MINUSCULE, MINIATURE.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what the board looks like when the puzzle is solved:<\/p>\n \n Yesterday\u2019s puzzle<\/u><\/a> was \u201cbig talk\u201d and featured items like COLOSSUS and GIANT, so maybe today will have words like MINIATURE or MINUSCULE.\u00a0<\/p>\n Yep, MINIATURE is in the bottom right. \ud83d\udd35<\/p>\n I think I see the spangram: ITSYBITSY. \ud83d\udfe1<\/p>\n MINUSCULE is in the bottom left. \ud83d\udd35 (Love when my predictions are correct.)<\/p>\n LITTLE is above the start of the spangram. \ud83d\udd35<\/p>\n MICROSCOPIC is in the upper left. \ud83d\udd35<\/p>\n Lastly, TINY. \ud83d\udd35<\/p>\n You can find the Strands game on the New York Times website and in the NYT Games app.\u00a0<\/p>\n When you start playing, you\u2019ll see a game board with an assortment of letters, flanked by a clue that gives a hint at the board\u2019s theme\u2014this will be a phrase, like \u201cBetter with age.\u201d Your job is to find the hidden words within the board that reflect the puzzle\u2019s theme.<\/p>\n The most important word to find is the \u201cspangram,\u201d a word that more explicitly states the puzzle\u2019s theme. (For example, the spangram for the puzzle with the theme “Better with age” is FERMENTED, which describes products that are, you guessed it, better with age.) The spangram will span the entire game board, either from left to right or top to bottom (hence the name). When you find the spangram, it will be highlighted in yellow. Solving the spangram usually makes the rest of the puzzle much easier to complete.<\/p>\n In Strands, words can travel any direction (up, down, left, right, and diagonal), and you will only use each letter once. There is only one correct solution. When you correctly identify one of the puzzle\u2019s words (for example, KOMBUCHA, MISO, or KIMCHI), it will be highlighted in blue.\u00a0<\/p>\n If you are struggling to solve the puzzle, you can submit any non-theme words you see (as long as they are four letters or more) to receive credit toward a single hint. If you submit three non-theme words, the \u201cHint\u201d button will be clickable; if you click it, all of the letters in one of the theme words will be highlighted for you. You will still have to link these highlighted letters in the right order to form one of the theme words. If there is already a hint on the board and you use another hint before solving for that word, that word\u2019s letter order will be revealed.<\/p>\n Unlike Connections and Wordle, you cannot fail Strands. When you submit guesses, you will either correctly identify an answer, receive credit toward a hint, or the text will shake back and forth, indicating that the word you submitted is too short or not valid. You can’t run out of guesses, and there is no time limit.<\/p>\n You win when you\u2019ve correctly used all the letters on the board, meaning that you have identified the spangram and all of the theme words. Like other NYT games, upon solving the puzzle, you will see a shareable card that indicates how you performed that day: blue dots \ud83d\udd35 indicate theme words you found, the yellow dot \ud83d\udfe1 indicates when you found the spangram, and a lightbulb \ud83d\udca1 indicates words that you received a hint for.![\"NYT](\"https:\/\/lifehacker.com\/imagery\/articles\/01KXR35H14X0FE75TP8Y12TMZ0\/images-2.fill.size_2000x1215.v1784293891.png\")
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\n Credit: Strands\/NYT<\/span><\/p><\/div>\nHint for the spangram in today\u2019s Strands puzzle<\/h2>\n
Hint for the theme words in today\u2019s Strands puzzle<\/h2>\n
BEWARE: Spoilers follow for today\u2019s Strands puzzle!<\/h2>\n
What is the spangram in today\u2019s Strands?<\/h3>\n
What are the theme words in today\u2019s Strands?<\/h3>\n
![\"Completed](\"https:\/\/lifehacker.com\/imagery\/articles\/01KXR35H14X0FE75TP8Y12TMZ0\/images-1.fill.size_2000x1231.v1784293891.png\")
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\n Credit: Strands\/NYT<\/span><\/p><\/div>\nHow I solved today\u2019s Strands<\/h2>\n
\n What do you think so far?
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\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\nStrands #869\n\u201cSmall talk\u201d\n\ud83d\udd35\ud83d\udfe1\ud83d\udd35\ud83d\udd35\n\ud83d\udd35\ud83d\udd35<\/pre>\n
How to play Strands<\/h2>\n
A crossword crossed with a word search<\/h3>\n
How to win Strands<\/h3>\n
\n Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Strands.<\/a>\n <\/div>\n