Stuck on today’s puzzle? NYT Strands today is live, and this guide provides everything you need: hints, the spangram, and complete answers. If you enjoy daily word challenges, NYT Wordle and Connections offer similar brain-teasing fun.
NYT Strands Answers Today (Quick Overview)
- Date:Â Monday, Feb 16, 2026
- Puzzle:Â NYT Strands #715
- Difficulty:Â Medium
Today’s NYT Strands Hints & Answers (Game #715)
Today’s Theme: The cutting edge
The theme “The cutting edge” might initially sound like it refers to technology or innovation, but don’t be fooled. Today’s puzzle is much “cooler” than that. This theme is a clever play on words referring to a sport where “edges” are essential for performance.
Today’s answers revolve around specific moves, techniques, and elements found in a winter sport. Think about what happens on the ice!
Strands Hint Today: Theme, Spangram & Clue Words
If you want to find the NYT Strands spangram today independently but need guidance, try these hints:
- Gentle Hint:Â Focus on the technical vocabulary of the Winter Olympics. You are looking for specific maneuvers, jumps, and partner interactions performed on the ice.
- Structure Hint:Â The spangram is a 13-letter compound word that names the sport itself.
- Location Hint:Â The spangram starts from the top left corner and stretches diagonally across to the bottom right.
Non-Theme Clue Words:Â If you are stuck and need to fill your hint meter, look for these words in the grid:
- SPORE
- JEST
- WORST
- BOATING
- THING
- PINT
These words don’t match the theme directly, but playing them will fill your hint meter and reveal letters on the board.
Today’s NYT Strands Spangram Answer
The NYT Strands spangram today is: FIGURESKATING
Explanation: The phrase “The cutting edge” is a pun on the metal blades (edges) used in figure skating. The spangram FIGURESKATING (13 letters) describes the sport itself, connecting all the technical moves hidden in the puzzle.
Once you identify this long word stretching across the board, the remaining technical terms become much easier to spot.
NYT Strands Answers Today: Full Word List
Once you recognize the theme is about the ice rink, finding the specific words becomes easier. Here are all the theme words for Game #715:
- JUMP
- LIFT
- LOOP
- COMBO
- CROSSOVER
- THROW
- SPIN
- SPANGRAM: FIGURESKATING
All of these words describe specific maneuvers performed by figure skaters, from jumps and spins to technical footwork like crossovers.
Yesterday’s NYT Strands Answers (Feb 15, 2026)
If you’re checking your streak, yesterday’s puzzle (Game #714) had the theme “Now I get it!”.
- Theme:Â Now I get it!
- Spangram:Â SEETHELIGHT
- Theme Words:Â GRASP, APPREHEND, FATHOM, UNDERSTAND, REALIZE
Yesterday’s puzzle focused on words describing comprehension and those “aha!” moments of understanding.
What is NYT Strands Game?
NYT Strands is a daily word puzzle from The New York Times that challenges players to uncover a set of theme-based words hidden in a letter grid.
How to Play NYT Strands
If you are new to the game, here is a quick refresher:
- Find the Words:Â Connect letters vertically, horizontally, or diagonally to form words that fit the daily theme.
- Find the Spangram: Identify the special “spangram,” a longer word that stretches across the board (touching two opposite sides) and describes the puzzle’s theme.
- Use Hints:Â If you get stuck, finding non-theme words fills up your hint meter and reveals more of the board.
- Goal: Find all theme-related words and identify the special “spangram,” a longer word that ties the puzzle together.
- Grid format:Â Letters can be connected vertically, horizontally or diagonally.
- Player tip:Â Recognizing the spangram early can make it easier to spot the remaining words.
NYT Strands is a daily brain workout that improves vocabulary and encourages mindful thinking. Check back tomorrow for the next guide, or if you need a deeper guide, read our full tutorial on how to play Strands, along with more helpful tips and tricks.
If you need a deeper guide, read our full guide to learn how to play Strands, along with more helpful tips and tricks.
Why NYT Strands is the Most Popular Word Game
People often wonder what makes NYT Strands so engaging. The answer is that it offers more than a typical word puzzle. Every day brings a fresh theme that feels like a mini story, turning each grid into a new adventure instead of just another brain teaser. The combination of pattern recognition, vocabulary knowledge, and thematic thinking creates a satisfying challenge.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is today’s Strands theme?
Today’s theme is “The cutting edge”, which is a clever reference to the blades used in figure skating.
What are the NYT Strands answers today?
Today’s answers are JUMP, LIFT, LOOP, COMBO, CROSSOVER, THROW, SPIN, and the spangram FIGURESKATING.
What is the spangram for NYT Strands today?
The spangram for Game #715 is FIGURESKATING, a 13-letter word describing the sport that connects the other terms.
Is today’s Strands puzzle difficult?
Today’s puzzle is rated Medium. While the theme “The cutting edge” might trick you into looking for tech terms initially, once you find a word like “SPIN” or “JUMP,” the connection to ice skating becomes clear quickly.
