NYT Strands Hints and Answers for February 8, 2026 (#707)
Spoiler-safe hints for the NYT Strands puzzle of February 8, 2026: the theme clue first, then first letters, word lengths, the spangram, and the full grid.
Stuck on the Strands puzzle of February 8, 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 February 8, 2026, one rung at a time
ThemeToday’s theme
Make it fancy
The puzzle calls today’s theme “Make it fancy”. Read it loosely: the 6 answers are examples of it, not synonyms for it.
Hint 2First letters
The theme words begin with C, C, O, S, S, T. Several share a starting letter (C, S).
Hint 3Word lengths
By length, the answers run 5, 5, 5, 6, 6 and 6. The shortest is 5 letters, the longest 6.
SpangramThe spangram
COCKTAILGARNISH
15 letters, a single word, running from one edge of the grid to the opposite edge.
Starts with C, ends with H.
AnswersAll theme words
- OLIVE5 letters
- SPRIG5 letters
- TWIST5 letters
- CELERY6 letters
- CHERRY6 letters
- SHRIMP6 letters
BoardThe completed grid
Theme wordSpangramEach line follows one word; the small number is that letter’s place in it.