NYT Strands Hints and Answers for January 27, 2026 (#695)
Spoiler-safe hints for the NYT Strands puzzle of January 27, 2026: the theme clue first, then first letters, word lengths, the spangram, and the full grid.
Stuck on the Strands puzzle of January 27, 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 27, 2026, one rung at a time
ThemeToday’s theme
Canine classics
Today’s theme is “Canine classics”. All 8 theme words fit that idea — and the spangram names it outright.
Hint 2First letters
Sorted alphabetically, the first letters are B, B, B, C, R, S, S, S. Several share a starting letter (B, S).
Hint 3Word lengths
The theme words are 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 5, 6 and 7 letters long. The shortest is 4 letters, the longest 7.
SpangramThe spangram
HEREBOY
It is a single word of 7 letters and it touches two opposite sides of the board.
Starts with H, ends with Y.
AnswersAll theme words
- BLUE4 letters
- SPOT4 letters
- BUDDY5 letters
- CHAMP5 letters
- ROVER5 letters
- SCOUT5 letters
- BANDIT6 letters
- SCRUFFY7 letters
BoardThe completed grid
Theme wordSpangramEach line follows one word; the small number is that letter’s place in it.