Play Strands #872
The same letter grid NYT shows. Drag across touching letters, or tap them one by one and tap the last letter again to check. Theme words turn blue and the spangram turns yellow. Hint outlines one word you haven't found. Nothing is saved, so your real game stays untouched.
Strands #872 hints
Today's official theme is "Hail to the chief petty officer". If that alone doesn't help, work down the hints below.
Hints used: 0
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What's the theme in plain words?Gentle hint
Look for job titles that someone serving on a ship or in a sea-going military branch might hold, from the very bottom of the ladder to the very top.
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How many words am I looking for?Gentle hint
There are 5 theme words plus the spangram.
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A nudge toward the spangramHelpful hint
Think of the whole ladder these titles sit on; the long word stretching across the board describes where each title stands in the sea service's pecking order.
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How do the theme words start?Helpful hint
The theme words start with: A, C, E, L, R.
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How long is the spangram, and which way does it run?Strong hint
The spangram has 9 letters and runs from top to bottom.
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Strands #872 in numbers
- Theme words
- 5
- Recent average
- 5.7
- Spangram length
- 9 letters
- Longest theme word
- 10 letters
Strands #872 answers
Spoiler zone. Below are the spangram and all theme words for July 23, 2026.
Reveal one word at a time
Only want a foothold? Open one word, find it on the board, then go back and try for the rest. Shorter words come first because they give away the least.
Theme word 1 (6 letters)
ENSIGN. It starts in row 7, column 3, counting from the top left.
Theme word 2 (7 letters)
ADMIRAL. It starts in row 7, column 2, counting from the top left.
Theme word 3 (7 letters)
RECRUIT. It starts in row 4, column 1, counting from the top left.
Theme word 4 (9 letters)
COMMANDER. It starts in row 8, column 5, counting from the top left.
Theme word 5 (10 letters)
LIEUTENANT. It starts in row 1, column 4, counting from the top left.
The spangram (9 letters)
NAVYRANKS. It starts in row 1, column 3, counting from the top left.
Everything at once
Show every theme word and the solved board
Spangram: NAVYRANKS
Theme words: ADMIRAL, COMMANDER, ENSIGN, LIEUTENANT, RECRUIT
The clue's 'chief petty officer' is itself a Navy rank, so 'Hail to the chief' points to a hierarchy of sea-service titles. The spangram NAVYRANKS names the theme, and ADMIRAL, COMMANDER, ENSIGN, LIEUTENANT, and RECRUIT are all positions on that ladder.
Recent Strands puzzles
| Date | Puzzle | Theme |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 22 | #871 | "What is ..." |
| Jul 21 | #870 | Write there |
| Jul 20 | #869 | Small talk |
| Jul 19 | #868 | Big talk |
| Jul 18 | #867 | A healthy breakfast |
| Jul 17 | #866 | Categorically speaking |
| Jul 16 | #865 | "Rerouting ..." |
About Strands
Strands is a daily New York Times word search with a theme. Every letter on the six-by-eight board belongs to an answer, and one answer, the spangram, names the theme and stretches between opposite sides of the board. Past puzzles are a good way to learn how the themed clues are usually worded.
Other puzzles on Jul 23
Strands #872 questions
What was the Strands spangram on July 23, 2026?
The spangram for Strands #872 was NAVYRANKS, for the theme "Hail to the chief petty officer".
What were the Strands theme words on July 23, 2026?
ADMIRAL, COMMANDER, ENSIGN, LIEUTENANT, RECRUIT, plus the spangram NAVYRANKS.
What did the Strands #872 clue mean?
The clue's 'chief petty officer' is itself a Navy rank, so 'Hail to the chief' points to a hierarchy of sea-service titles. The spangram NAVYRANKS names the theme, and ADMIRAL, COMMANDER, ENSIGN, LIEUTENANT, and RECRUIT are all positions on that ladder.