NYT Strands Hints and Answers for January 2, 2026 (#670)
Spoiler-safe hints for the NYT Strands puzzle of January 2, 2026: the theme clue first, then first letters, word lengths, the spangram, and the full grid.
Stuck on the Strands puzzle of January 2, 2026? Start with the theme, take one rung at a time, and stop as soon as the grid opens up. Nothing below is revealed until you tap it.
Hints for January 2, 2026, one rung at a time
ThemeToday’s theme
Home is where the hearth is
The puzzle calls today’s theme “Home is where the hearth is”. Read it loosely: the 6 answers are examples of it, not synonyms for it.
Hint 2First letters
The theme words begin with B, C, C, F, R, S. Two of them start with the same letter (C).
Hint 3Word lengths
By length, the answers run 4, 5, 7, 7, 8 and 9. The shortest is 4 letters, the longest 9.
SpangramThe spangram
STAYWARM
8 letters, a single word, running from one edge of the grid to the opposite edge.
Starts with S, ends with M.
AnswersAll theme words
- ROBE4 letters
- COCOA5 letters
- BLANKET7 letters
- CUDDLES7 letters
- SLIPPERS8 letters
- FIREPLACE9 letters
BoardThe completed grid
Theme wordSpangramEach line follows one word; the small number is that letter’s place in it.