Move aside Wordle, Connections, Connections Sports Edition, and Mini Crossword—there’s a fresh NYT word game taking over the scene. The latest game from The New York Times, “Strands,” is gaining popularity as a daily activity for fans on the NYT website and app.
Featuring daily themes and challenging “spangrams,” Strands is the new addictive game to check off your daily to-do list before a new puzzle emerges 24 hours later.
Now, let’s dive into how to play Strands, today’s Spangram hints, and all the answers for Strands #708 on Monday, February 9.
How to Play Strands
If you’re wondering how to play Strands, according to The New York Times, here’s the breakdown:
Find theme words to fill the board.
Theme words remain highlighted in blue once discovered.
Drag or tap letters to form words, double-tap the last letter to submit.
All theme words must fill the board without overlapping.
Find the “spangram.”
The spangram describes the puzzle’s theme, connecting two opposite sides of the board.
The spangram will be highlighted in yellow once found.
For a hint, look for non-theme words.
Every three non-theme words found earn you a hint.
Hints reveal the letters of a theme word, or the order of letters for an active hint on the board.
What Is Today’s Strands Hint for the Theme: “Make it fancy”
A hint for today’s Strands puzzle: Cheers!
What Are Today’s NYT Strands Hints?
In today’s puzzle, there are seven theme words to uncover (including the spangram). Here are the first two letters of each word: PI, RU, TA, LU, SE, PA, AI (for the Spangram).
NYT Strands Spangram Hint: Is It Vertical or Horizontal?
Today’s Spangram mostly runs horizontally.
NYT Strands Spangram Answer for February 9
The Spangram answer for Today’s NYT ‘Strands’ game on Monday, February 9, 2026, is AIRPORTS.
What Are Today’s NYT Strands Answers, Word List for Monday, February 9?
Unveil the following seven theme words for today’s puzzle: PILOT, RUNWAY, TARMAC, LUGGAGE, SECURITY, PASSPORT, and the SPANGRAM: AIRPORTS.
Stay tuned for more updates on NYT ‘Strands.’
Peace Nero is a writer and blogger who loves to explore different topics of self-development. She shares her personal experiences in order to help people discover their true purpose in life.