NYT Strands Hints and Answers for August 16, 2026 (#896)
Spoiler-safe hints for the NYT Strands puzzle of August 16, 2026: the theme clue first, then first letters, word lengths, the spangram, and the full grid.
Stuck on the Strands puzzle of August 16, 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 August 16, 2026, one rung at a time
ThemeToday’s theme
Learn by doing
Start from the clue “Learn by doing”. Once you see what the 5 theme words have in common, the grid opens up quickly.
Hint 1A gentle clue
Read the clue loosely. The 5 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 A, D, I, M, P.
Hint 3Word lengths
By length, the answers run 6, 6, 7, 8 and 10. The shortest is 6 letters, the longest 10.
SpangramThe spangram
JOBTRAINING
11 letters, a single word, running from one edge of the grid to the opposite edge.
Starts with J, ends with G.
AnswersAll theme words
- INTERN6 letters
- MENTEE6 letters
- PROTEGE7 letters
- DISCIPLE8 letters
- APPRENTICE10 letters
BoardThe completed grid
Theme wordSpangramEach line follows one word; the small number is that letter’s place in it.