Play Strands #911
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 #911 hints
Today's official theme is "With a little elbow grease". 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 things you would grab from under the sink or in the laundry room when you need to get something really dirty looking spotless.
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How many words am I looking for?Gentle hint
There are 6 theme words plus the spangram.
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A nudge toward the spangramHelpful hint
The spangram is a two-part action you might do to a dirty driveway, deck, or siding using a high-pressure sprayer.
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How do the theme words start?Helpful hint
The theme words start with: B, C, D, S, S, S.
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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 #911 in numbers
- Theme words
- 6
- Recent average
- 5.7
- Spangram length
- 9 letters
- Longest theme word
- 9 letters
Strands #911 answers
Spoiler zone. Below are the spangram and all theme words for August 31, 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 (4 letters)
SOAP. It starts in row 7, column 1, counting from the top left.
Theme word 2 (5 letters)
SCRUB. It starts in row 6, column 4, counting from the top left.
Theme word 3 (6 letters)
BLEACH. It starts in row 7, column 4, counting from the top left.
Theme word 4 (7 letters)
SOLVENT. It starts in row 3, column 1, counting from the top left.
Theme word 5 (8 letters)
CLEANSER. It starts in row 5, column 1, counting from the top left.
Theme word 6 (9 letters)
DETERGENT. It starts in row 2, column 5, counting from the top left.
The spangram (9 letters)
POWERWASH. It starts in row 1, column 3, counting from the top left.
Everything at once
Show every theme word and the solved board
Spangram: POWERWASH
Theme words: BLEACH, CLEANSER, DETERGENT, SCRUB, SOAP, SOLVENT
The clue 'With a little elbow grease' points to hard cleaning work, and the theme words are all products or actions used for it, like BLEACH, SOAP, SCRUB, and SOLVENT. The spangram POWERWASH is the heavy-duty cleaning method that ties them together.
Recent Strands puzzles
| Date | Puzzle | Theme |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 30 | #910 | Hardly eager |
| Aug 29 | #909 | Now we're cooking! |
| Aug 28 | #908 | On this day in 1963 |
| Aug 27 | #907 | Spiraling definitions |
| Aug 26 | #906 | All in a day's work |
| Aug 25 | #905 | Enjoying nature |
| Aug 24 | #904 | You can't eat just one |
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 31
Strands #911 questions
What was the Strands spangram on August 31, 2026?
The spangram for Strands #911 was POWERWASH, for the theme "With a little elbow grease".
What were the Strands theme words on August 31, 2026?
BLEACH, CLEANSER, DETERGENT, SCRUB, SOAP, SOLVENT, plus the spangram POWERWASH.
What did the Strands #911 clue mean?
The clue 'With a little elbow grease' points to hard cleaning work, and the theme words are all products or actions used for it, like BLEACH, SOAP, SCRUB, and SOLVENT. The spangram POWERWASH is the heavy-duty cleaning method that ties them together.