NYT Strands Hints and Answers for June 29, 2026 (#848)
Spoiler-safe hints for the NYT Strands puzzle of June 29, 2026: the theme clue first, then first letters, word lengths, the spangram, and the full grid.
Stuck on the Strands puzzle of June 29, 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 June 29, 2026, one rung at a time
ThemeToday’s theme
The mark of a good composer
The puzzle calls today’s theme “The mark of a good composer”. Read it loosely: the 6 answers are examples of it, not synonyms for it.
Hint 1A gentle clue
All 6 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
Sorted alphabetically, the first letters are A, B, C, M, N, R.
Hint 3Word lengths
The theme words are 4, 4, 4, 7, 7 and 10 letters long. The shortest is 4 letters, the longest 10.
SpangramThe spangram
MUSICALSTAFF
It is a single word of 12 letters and it touches two opposite sides of the board.
Starts with M, ends with F.
AnswersAll theme words
- CLEF4 letters
- NOTE4 letters
- REST4 letters
- BRACKET7 letters
- MEASURE7 letters
- ACCIDENTAL10 letters
BoardThe completed grid
Theme wordSpangramEach line follows one word; the small number is that letter’s place in it.