NYT Strands Hints and Answers for February 23, 2026 (#722)
Spoiler-safe hints for the NYT Strands puzzle of February 23, 2026: the theme clue first, then first letters, word lengths, the spangram, and the full grid.
Stuck on the Strands puzzle of February 23, 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 23, 2026, one rung at a time
ThemeToday’s theme
Strike a chord
The puzzle calls today’s theme “Strike a chord”. Read it loosely: the 7 answers are examples of it, not synonyms for it.
Hint 1A gentle clue
All 7 answers are examples of the theme, not synonyms for it — think of things you would actually meet, not words that mean the same. The spangram runs across the grid, left edge to right, so look for a long sideways path first.
Hint 2First letters
The theme words begin with B, B, F, H, N, P, S. Two of them start with the same letter (B).
Hint 3Word lengths
By length, the answers run 4, 4, 4, 6, 6, 9 and 9. The shortest is 4 letters, the longest 9.
SpangramThe spangram
GUITAR
6 letters, a single word, running from one edge of the grid to the opposite edge.
Starts with G, ends with R.
AnswersAll theme words
- BODY4 letters
- NECK4 letters
- PEGS4 letters
- BRIDGE6 letters
- STRING6 letters
- FRETBOARD9 letters
- HEADSTOCK9 letters
BoardThe completed grid
Theme wordSpangramEach line follows one word; the small number is that letter’s place in it.