Tech· August 18, 2026 at 12:07 a.m.
NYT's Strands Puzzle Reveals Hints and Answers for August 18
Key takeaways
- NYT's Strands puzzle presents a challenging daily word game
- Players are finding unusual answers difficult to unscramble
- Hints and solutions provided for those in need
- A clue is given: 'Tricked!'
- Find any words of four letters or more to unlock hidden words
The New York Times' daily word game, Strands, has presented a challenging puzzle on August 18. Players are finding it difficult to unscramble some unusual answers. To assist those in need, here are hints and solutions.
For those still struggling, a clue is provided: 'Tricked!'.
To unlock the hidden words that fit the puzzle's theme, find any words of four letters or more. Once you have three such words, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. The following words were used to obtain hints, but any words of four or more letters will work:
These are the answers that align with the theme. The objective is to discover them all, including the spangram, a word that stretches across the puzzle from one side to another. When you have found them all (originally thought to be eight, but the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the non-spangram answers:
The spangram for today's Strands is CHARLATAN. To locate it, start with the C that is three letters to the right on the top row, and follow downwards.
