NYT Strands Hints and Answers for July 9, 2026 (#858)
Spoiler-safe hints for the NYT Strands puzzle of July 9, 2026: the theme clue first, then first letters, word lengths, the spangram, and the full grid.
Stuck on the Strands puzzle of July 9, 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 July 9, 2026, one rung at a time
ThemeToday’s theme
On the lips
Start from the clue “On the lips”. Once you see what the 7 theme words have in common, the grid opens up quickly.
Hint 1A gentle clue
Read the clue loosely. The 7 answers sit inside that idea; none of them is a definition of it. 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, G, L, P, S, S, T. Two of them start with the same letter (S).
Hint 3Word lengths
By length, the answers run 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 5 and 7. The shortest is 4 letters, the longest 7.
SpangramThe spangram
KISSANDMAKEUP
13 letters, a single word, running from one edge of the grid to the opposite edge.
Starts with K, ends with P.
AnswersAll theme words
- BALM4 letters
- TINT4 letters
- GLOSS5 letters
- LINER5 letters
- STAIN5 letters
- STICK5 letters
- PLUMPER7 letters
BoardThe completed grid
Theme wordSpangramEach line follows one word; the small number is that letter’s place in it.