NYT Strands Hints and Answers for September 3, 2026 (#914)
Spoiler-safe hints for the NYT Strands puzzle of September 3, 2026: the theme clue first, then first letters, word lengths, the spangram, and the full grid.
Stuck on the Strands puzzle of September 3, 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 September 3, 2026, one rung at a time
ThemeToday’s theme
Hike!
Today’s theme is “Hike!”. All 8 theme words fit that idea — and the spangram names it outright.
Hint 1A gentle clue
The 8 answers belong to one everyday scene. Picture the scene first, then look for its pieces on the board. 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 D, K, P, P, R, S, T, U. Two of them start with the same letter (P).
Hint 3Word lengths
The theme words are 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 6, 7 and 7 letters long. The shortest is 4 letters, the longest 7.
SpangramThe spangram
FOOTBALL
It is a single word of 8 letters and it touches two opposite sides of the board.
Starts with F, ends with L.
AnswersAll theme words
- DOWN4 letters
- KICK4 letters
- PASS4 letters
- PLAY4 letters
- RUSH4 letters
- TACKLE6 letters
- STADIUM7 letters
- UPRIGHT7 letters
BoardThe completed grid
Theme wordSpangramEach line follows one word; the small number is that letter’s place in it.