Play Strands #884
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 #884 hints
Today's official theme is "Staying healthy". 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
Think of things you might ask for, get, or do when you walk into the place where you pick up your prescriptions.
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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
This is the store or shop where you go to pick up your prescriptions, and it spans the whole board.
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How do the theme words start?Helpful hint
The theme words start with: C, C, I, M, R.
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How long is the spangram, and which way does it run?Strong hint
The spangram has 8 letters and runs from top to bottom.
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Strands #884 in numbers
- Theme words
- 5
- Recent average
- 5.7
- Spangram length
- 8 letters
- Longest theme word
- 12 letters
Strands #884 answers
Spoiler zone. Below are the spangram and all theme words for August 4, 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)
REFILL. It starts in row 5, column 5, counting from the top left.
Theme word 2 (7 letters)
CONSULT. It starts in row 6, column 5, counting from the top left.
Theme word 3 (7 letters)
COUNTER. It starts in row 5, column 4, counting from the top left.
Theme word 4 (8 letters)
MEDICINE. It starts in row 2, column 1, counting from the top left.
Theme word 5 (12 letters)
IMMUNIZATION. It starts in row 8, column 3, counting from the top left.
The spangram (8 letters)
PHARMACY. It starts in row 1, column 3, counting from the top left.
Everything at once
Show every theme word and the solved board
Spangram: PHARMACY
Theme words: CONSULT, COUNTER, IMMUNIZATION, MEDICINE, REFILL
Staying healthy often involves a trip to the PHARMACY, where you can CONSULT a professional, get a REFILL, buy MEDICINE, or receive IMMUNIZATION shots. Items like cold remedies sit on the shelves, and you can pick up others at the COUNTER, so every theme word ties to what a pharmacy offers.
Recent Strands puzzles
| Date | Puzzle | Theme |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 3 | #883 | There's nothing like it |
| Aug 2 | #882 | Eyes on the prize |
| Aug 1 | #881 | "As if!" |
| Jul 31 | #880 | Summer sign |
| Jul 30 | #879 | Trade names |
| Jul 29 | #878 | A made man |
| Jul 28 | #877 | Leave nothing out |
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 Aug 4
Strands #884 questions
What was the Strands spangram on August 4, 2026?
The spangram for Strands #884 was PHARMACY, for the theme "Staying healthy".
What were the Strands theme words on August 4, 2026?
CONSULT, COUNTER, IMMUNIZATION, MEDICINE, REFILL, plus the spangram PHARMACY.
What did the Strands #884 clue mean?
Staying healthy often involves a trip to the PHARMACY, where you can CONSULT a professional, get a REFILL, buy MEDICINE, or receive IMMUNIZATION shots. Items like cold remedies sit on the shelves, and you can pick up others at the COUNTER, so every theme word ties to what a pharmacy offers.