Play Strands #914
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 #914 hints
Today's official theme is "Hike!". 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 words you would hear or see on a gridiron on a Sunday afternoon, from actions players take to a spot where fans gather and the tall posts at the end of the field.
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How many words am I looking for?Gentle hint
There are 8 theme words plus the spangram.
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A nudge toward the spangramHelpful hint
This word names the sport itself, and it stretches across the whole board connecting the other answers.
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How do the theme words start?Helpful hint
The theme words start with: D, K, P, P, R, S, T, U.
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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 left to right.
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Strands #914 in numbers
- Theme words
- 8
- Recent average
- 5.7
- Spangram length
- 8 letters
- Longest theme word
- 7 letters
Strands #914 answers
Spoiler zone. Below are the spangram and all theme words for September 3, 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)
DOWN. It starts in row 6, column 6, counting from the top left.
Theme word 2 (4 letters)
KICK. It starts in row 6, column 3, counting from the top left.
Theme word 3 (4 letters)
PASS. It starts in row 5, column 2, counting from the top left.
Theme word 4 (4 letters)
PLAY. It starts in row 8, column 5, counting from the top left.
Theme word 5 (4 letters)
RUSH. It starts in row 7, column 3, counting from the top left.
Theme word 6 (6 letters)
TACKLE. It starts in row 4, column 1, counting from the top left.
Theme word 7 (7 letters)
STADIUM. It starts in row 1, column 4, counting from the top left.
Theme word 8 (7 letters)
UPRIGHT. It starts in row 1, column 5, counting from the top left.
The spangram (8 letters)
FOOTBALL. It starts in row 5, column 1, counting from the top left.
Everything at once
Show every theme word and the solved board
Spangram: FOOTBALL
Theme words: DOWN, KICK, PASS, PLAY, RUSH, STADIUM, TACKLE, UPRIGHT
The clue 'Hike!' is what a center calls out to snap the ball, which kicks off a play in FOOTBALL. The theme words are all parts of the game: actions like KICK, PASS, RUSH, and TACKLE, plus DOWN, PLAY, the UPRIGHT goalposts, and the STADIUM where it all happens.
Recent Strands puzzles
| Date | Puzzle | Theme |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 2 | #913 | All will be revealed |
| Sep 1 | #912 | Called by your calling |
| Aug 31 | #911 | With a little elbow grease |
| 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 |
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 Sep 3
Strands #914 questions
What was the Strands spangram on September 3, 2026?
The spangram for Strands #914 was FOOTBALL, for the theme "Hike!".
What were the Strands theme words on September 3, 2026?
DOWN, KICK, PASS, PLAY, RUSH, STADIUM, TACKLE, UPRIGHT, plus the spangram FOOTBALL.
What did the Strands #914 clue mean?
The clue 'Hike!' is what a center calls out to snap the ball, which kicks off a play in FOOTBALL. The theme words are all parts of the game: actions like KICK, PASS, RUSH, and TACKLE, plus DOWN, PLAY, the UPRIGHT goalposts, and the STADIUM where it all happens.