Strands #974 hints
The official theme was "High and mighty". If it reads like a riddle, the first hint puts it in plain words.
Hints used: 0
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What's the theme in plain words?Gentle hint
Words for the bits of a tall natural feature in the wild, plus a couple of things that turn up there in cold weather.
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How many words am I looking for?Gentle hint
There are 7 theme words plus the spangram.
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A nudge toward the spangramHelpful hint
Your target is the very highest point on a big natural rise, the place you would stand to see everything below. It is two words stuck together, and neither can be used in your hint.
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How do the theme words start?Helpful hint
The theme words start with: C, G, P, R, S, S, S.
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How long is the spangram, and which way does it run?Strong hint
The spangram has 11 letters and runs from bottom to top.
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Play Strands #974
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 #974 in numbers
- Theme words
- 7
- Recent average
- 5.8
- Spangram length
- 11 letters
- Longest theme word
- 7 letters
- Rare letters on this board: K, W. Words with them are a good place to start, since few words can use them.
- The 8 answers use all 48 letters, an average of 6.0 letters each.
Strands #974 answers
From here on, the theme words and spangram for November 2, 2026 are shown when you tap.
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)
PEAK. It starts in row 8, column 2, counting from the top left.
Theme word 2 (4 letters)
SNOW. It starts in row 6, column 6, counting from the top left.
Theme word 3 (5 letters)
CLIFF. It starts in row 3, column 4, counting from the top left.
Theme word 4 (5 letters)
RIDGE. It starts in row 7, column 1, counting from the top left.
Theme word 5 (6 letters)
SADDLE. It starts in row 6, column 1, counting from the top left.
Theme word 6 (6 letters)
SUMMIT. It starts in row 1, column 3, counting from the top left.
Theme word 7 (7 letters)
GLACIER. It starts in row 8, column 3, counting from the top left.
The spangram (11 letters)
MOUNTAINTOP. It starts in row 8, column 1, counting from the top left.
Everything at once
Show every theme word and the solved board
Spangram: MOUNTAINTOP
Theme words: CLIFF, GLACIER, PEAK, RIDGE, SADDLE, SNOW, SUMMIT
The clue 'High and mighty' points to lofty places, and every answer is part of a mountain or found on one. CLIFF, GLACIER, PEAK, RIDGE, SADDLE, SNOW and SUMMIT all sit on a MOUNTAINTOP or near it.
Puzzle note
Once MOUNTAINTOP showed up, the rest fell into place. SADDLE might look out of place at first, but it belongs with PEAK, RIDGE and SUMMIT. On a similar puzzle, find the spangram early, since it names the whole category and makes the other answers easier to guess.
On the board, the spangram MOUNTAINTOP stretches between the top and bottom edges and uses 2 corner letters.
What does SADDLE mean?
In mountain terms, a saddle is a low, curved dip along a ridge between two higher peaks, shaped a bit like a horse's saddle. It fits the puzzle as a high-country landform, not riding gear.
Recent Strands puzzles
| Date | Puzzle | Theme |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 1 | #973 | For the rest of the day |
| Oct 31 | #972 | It's in the bag |
| Oct 30 | #971 | All charged up |
| Oct 29 | #970 | Double, double toil and trouble |
| Oct 28 | #969 | Comedy club |
| Oct 27 | #968 | Who ya gonna call? |
| Oct 26 | #967 | Please, be my guest! |
About Strands
Strands hides themed words in a six-by-eight grid where every letter gets used. One special answer, the spangram, touches two opposite edges and sums up the theme. Replaying old boards helps you read the punny clues faster.
Other puzzles on Nov 2
Strands #974 questions
What was the Strands spangram on November 2, 2026?
The spangram for Strands #974 was MOUNTAINTOP, for the theme "High and mighty".
What were the Strands theme words on November 2, 2026?
CLIFF, GLACIER, PEAK, RIDGE, SADDLE, SNOW, SUMMIT, plus the spangram MOUNTAINTOP.
What did the Strands #974 clue mean?
The clue 'High and mighty' points to lofty places, and every answer is part of a mountain or found on one. CLIFF, GLACIER, PEAK, RIDGE, SADDLE, SNOW and SUMMIT all sit on a MOUNTAINTOP or near it.
How long was the Strands #974 spangram?
MOUNTAINTOP has 11 letters, and the 7 theme words started with C, G, P, R, S, S, S.