NYT Strands Hints and Answers for July 11, 2026 (#860)
Spoiler-safe hints for the NYT Strands puzzle of July 11, 2026: the theme clue first, then first letters, word lengths, the spangram, and the full grid.
Stuck on the Strands puzzle of July 11, 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 11, 2026, one rung at a time
ThemeToday’s theme
Fishy fare
The puzzle calls today’s theme “Fishy fare”. Read it loosely: the 8 answers are examples of it, not synonyms for it.
Hint 1A gentle clue
All 8 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 C, M, N, P, P, S, S, T. Several share a starting letter (P, S).
Hint 3Word lengths
The theme words are 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 6, 6 and 7 letters long. The shortest is 4 letters, the longest 7.
SpangramThe spangram
CASSEROLE
It is a single word of 9 letters and it touches two opposite sides of the board.
Starts with C, ends with E.
AnswersAll theme words
- MILK4 letters
- PEAS4 letters
- SALT4 letters
- SOUP4 letters
- TUNA4 letters
- CHEESE6 letters
- PEPPER6 letters
- NOODLES7 letters
BoardThe completed grid
Theme wordSpangramEach line follows one word; the small number is that letter’s place in it.