Play Strands #887
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 #887 hints
Today's official theme is "Struggling to find the words". 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 playful stand-in names that people use when they can't remember what something is actually called.
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How many words am I looking for?Gentle hint
There are 4 theme words plus the spangram.
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A nudge toward the spangramHelpful hint
It's a long, chatty phrase you might blurt out while pointing at an object whose name has slipped your mind, and it stretches all the way across the board.
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How do the theme words start?Helpful hint
The theme words start with: D, D, G, T.
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How long is the spangram, and which way does it run?Strong hint
The spangram has 15 letters and runs from top to bottom.
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Strands #887 in numbers
- Theme words
- 4
- Recent average
- 5.7
- Spangram length
- 15 letters
- Longest theme word
- 13 letters
Strands #887 answers
Spoiler zone. Below are the spangram and all theme words for August 7, 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 (5 letters)
GIZMO. It starts in row 4, column 3, counting from the top left.
Theme word 2 (6 letters)
DINGUS. It starts in row 1, column 5, counting from the top left.
Theme word 3 (9 letters)
DOOHICKEY. It starts in row 5, column 6, counting from the top left.
Theme word 4 (13 letters)
THINGAMAJIGGY. It starts in row 2, column 1, counting from the top left.
The spangram (15 letters)
WHATCHAMACALLIT. It starts in row 1, column 1, counting from the top left.
Everything at once
Show every theme word and the solved board
Spangram: WHATCHAMACALLIT
Theme words: DINGUS, DOOHICKEY, GIZMO, THINGAMAJIGGY
When you're struggling to find the words, you often reach for placeholder names for an object you can't name. WHATCHAMACALLIT is the spangram, and DINGUS, DOOHICKEY, GIZMO, and THINGAMAJIGGY are all other silly stand-ins for the same thing.
What does DINGUS mean?
A slang term for a gadget or object whose name you can't recall or don't know. It can also be a mild, joking insult for a silly person. Here it fits the theme of placeholder names for forgotten things.
What does THINGAMAJIGGY mean?
A playful, long-winded placeholder name for any item whose real name escapes you, a variant of thingamajig or thingamabob. It suits the puzzle because it is itself a word used when words fail.
Recent Strands puzzles
| Date | Puzzle | Theme |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 6 | #886 | Blossoming forth |
| Aug 5 | #885 | All things considered |
| Aug 4 | #884 | Staying healthy |
| 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 |
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 7
Strands #887 questions
What was the Strands spangram on August 7, 2026?
The spangram for Strands #887 was WHATCHAMACALLIT, for the theme "Struggling to find the words".
What were the Strands theme words on August 7, 2026?
DINGUS, DOOHICKEY, GIZMO, THINGAMAJIGGY, plus the spangram WHATCHAMACALLIT.
What did the Strands #887 clue mean?
When you're struggling to find the words, you often reach for placeholder names for an object you can't name. WHATCHAMACALLIT is the spangram, and DINGUS, DOOHICKEY, GIZMO, and THINGAMAJIGGY are all other silly stand-ins for the same thing.