Staring at the Strands board, knowing the theme but drawing a blank on the words? We've all been there. That satisfying click of letters forming a word, the "aha!" moment when the spangram finally reveals itself—it's what makes the New York Times' Strands so addictive. But when you’re stuck, it can feel like staring at a foreign language. If you're searching for a little nudge, or perhaps the full solution for the Strands puzzle on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, you've landed in the right spot. We’re diving into today's NYT Strands hints to help you conquer the "The year of the…" theme.
Your First Clues for Today's Strands
Before we lay out the full solution, let’s ease into it with a couple of gentle nudges for the February 17, 2026, Strands puzzle. The theme, "The year of the…," might already be sparking some ideas. Remember to scroll slowly and take only the hints you need to preserve that satisfying feeling of solving it yourself!
For the spangram, think beyond your personal birth chart. I'm not asking if you're a Leo or a Scorpio; consider the other well-known system of these symbolic things.
As for the theme words, let's just say the board is a veritable farm and jungle. Expect to find a collection of animals. This should give you a solid starting point for uncovering the hidden words.
Credit: Strands/NYT
The Full Solution: Spangram & Theme Words Revealed
Alright, consider this your final warning! If you’re ready to see the answers for today's NYT Strands hints, read on. The thrill of the hunt is over, and the solutions are laid bare.
What is the spangram in today’s Strands?
The spangram for today’s puzzle, February 17, 2026, is: ZODIACSIGNS.
What are the theme words in today’s Strands?
The theme words you’ll find hidden on the board are:
- HORSE
- SNAKE
- GOAT
- DRAGON
- RABBIT
- MONKEY
- TIGER
Here’s how the board looks once everything is connected:
Credit: Strands/NYT
How I solved today’s Strands
My first thought was that the "Year of the…" theme strongly suggested the Chinese Zodiac. With that in mind, I scanned the board specifically for animal names.
I quickly spotted HORSE in the upper left corner and SNAKE in the upper right. Moving along the bottom, MONKEY and TIGER jumped out, with RABBIT finishing near the bottom left. Once these were marked, the remaining letters clearly formed the spangram: ZODIACSIGNS, running from left to right and then wrapping around. Finally, GOAT and DRAGON were located above the spangram, completing the puzzle.
Strands #716
“The year of the ...”
🔵🔵🔵🔵
🔵🟡🔵🔵
Mastering Strands: A Quick Guide
If you're new to the game or just looking for a refresher, Strands is a unique word puzzle found on the New York Times website and within the NYT Games app. It’s a delightful blend of a crossword and a word search, challenging you to find hidden words based on a given theme.
When you start, you'll see a grid of letters and a clue, like "Better with age" or, in our case, "The year of the…" Your primary goal is to uncover the theme words and, most importantly, the spangram. This special word explicitly defines the puzzle's central idea. For instance, if the theme was "Things that go up," the spangram might be ASCENSION. When found, it lights up in yellow, often spanning the entire board horizontally or vertically, hence its name.
Unlike a traditional word search, Strands words can twist and turn in any direction—up, down, left, right, or diagonally. Each letter is used only once, and there's only one correct solution. As you correctly identify theme words (like KOMBUCHA, MISO, or the animal names from today's puzzle), they'll be highlighted in blue.
Feeling stuck? Strands offers a clever hint system. If you submit three valid, non-theme words (four letters or more), the "Hint" button becomes active. Clicking it will highlight all the letters of one of the theme words on the board, leaving you to connect them. It’s a gentle nudge, not a full giveaway. Sometimes, just seeing the highlighted letters can trigger that crucial connection.
Beyond the Puzzle: Why We Love Word Games
There’s a reason games like Strands capture our attention daily. Beyond the pure enjoyment, engaging with word puzzles offers tangible cognitive benefits. Research suggests that regularly challenging your brain with such activities can sharpen cognitive function, enhance vocabulary, and boost problem-solving skills (Harvard, 2024). It's a mental workout that can be as beneficial for your mind as physical exercise is for your body (Mayo Clinic, 2023).
The beauty of Strands is that you can't truly "fail." Incorrect guesses simply shake the text, indicating an invalid or too-short word. There are no limits on guesses or time, allowing you to ponder and explore at your own pace. The moment you connect the final letter, an undeniable "aha!" feeling washes over you—that satisfying click of understanding when everything falls into place, like finally seeing the clear path for DRAGON after staring at the remaining letters for minutes.
You win when every letter on the board is used, revealing the spangram and all theme words. Upon completion, you'll see a shareable card—a visual summary of your performance. Blue dots represent theme words found, the yellow dot marks the spangram, and a lightbulb indicates any words you used hints for. It’s a simple, elegant way to track your progress and share your triumph.
