Strands #979 hints
The official theme was "In the blink of an eye". The hints below go from a plain-words reading of it to the spangram itself.
Hints revealed: 0
-
What's the theme in plain words?Gentle hint
Words here describe moving extremely fast, often with a quick sound or a blur as the thing passes by.
Was this hint -
How many words am I looking for?Gentle hint
There are 7 theme words plus the spangram.
Was this hint -
A nudge toward the spangramHelpful hint
Watch a panicked person dash past you, then work out the casual question you might call after them to ask why they are in such a big tear.
Was this hint -
How do the theme words start?Helpful hint
The theme words start with: F, H, R, S, W, W, Z.
Was this hint -
How long is the spangram, and which way does it run?Strong hint: spangram length
The spangram has 13 letters and runs from left to right.
Was this hint
Play Strands #979
Play the real board here. Trace words by dragging or tapping, and tap the last letter twice to check. Blue means a theme word, yellow means the spangram. Nothing you do here touches your NYT stats.
Strands #979 in numbers
- Theme words
- 7
- Recent average
- 5.8
- Longest theme word
- 6 letters
- Rare letters on this board: K, W, Y, Z. 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 #979 answers
Careful: the answers for November 7, 2026 are below.
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, reveals the word)
RUSH. It starts in row 7, column 5, counting from the top left.
Theme word 2 (4 letters, reveals the word)
WHIZ. It starts in row 2, column 5, counting from the top left.
Theme word 3 (4 letters, reveals the word)
ZOOM. It starts in row 7, column 2, counting from the top left.
Theme word 4 (5 letters, reveals the word)
FLASH. It starts in row 7, column 3, counting from the top left.
Theme word 5 (6 letters, reveals the word)
HURTLE. It starts in row 4, column 3, counting from the top left.
Theme word 6 (6 letters, reveals the word)
STREAK. It starts in row 1, column 4, counting from the top left.
Theme word 7 (6 letters, reveals the word)
WHOOSH. It starts in row 2, column 2, counting from the top left.
The spangram (13 letters, reveals it)
WHATSTHEHURRY. It starts in row 4, column 1, counting from the top left.
Everything at once
Show every theme word and the solved board (full spoiler)
Spangram: WHATSTHEHURRY
Theme words: FLASH, HURTLE, RUSH, STREAK, WHIZ, WHOOSH, ZOOM
In the blink of an eye means something happens almost instantly, and each theme word (FLASH, HURTLE, RUSH, STREAK, WHIZ, WHOOSH, ZOOM) describes moving at great speed. The spangram WHATSTHEHURRY is what you might say to someone speeding by in that blink.
Puzzle note
Brainstorm synonyms before you hunt. For this one, speed words like FLASH, ZOOM, WHIZ and WHOOSH came easily, though HURTLE is the sort that can slip your mind. The spangram even hides HURRY inside it, so it fits the theme too.
On the board, the spangram WHATSTHEHURRY stretches between the left and right edges and uses a corner letter.
What does HURTLE mean?
To move very fast, often with a lot of force and a bit out of control, like a rock or a body flung through the air. Here it is one of the speedy motion words.
Recent Strands puzzles
| Date | Puzzle | Theme |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 6 | #978 | Autumn walk in the woods |
| Nov 5 | #977 | Handle with care |
| Nov 4 | #976 | Getting the job done |
| Nov 3 | #975 | I've got a song in my heart |
| Nov 2 | #974 | High and mighty |
| Nov 1 | #973 | For the rest of the day |
| Oct 31 | #972 | It's in the bag |
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 7
Strands #979 questions
What was the Strands theme on November 7, 2026?
The official clue for Strands #979 was "In the blink of an eye", with 7 theme words plus a spangram.
What was the Strands spangram on November 7, 2026?
The spangram for Strands #979 was WHATSTHEHURRY, for the theme "In the blink of an eye".
What were the Strands theme words on November 7, 2026?
FLASH, HURTLE, RUSH, STREAK, WHIZ, WHOOSH, ZOOM, plus the spangram WHATSTHEHURRY.
What did the Strands #979 clue mean?
In the blink of an eye means something happens almost instantly, and each theme word (FLASH, HURTLE, RUSH, STREAK, WHIZ, WHOOSH, ZOOM) describes moving at great speed. The spangram WHATSTHEHURRY is what you might say to someone speeding by in that blink.
How long was the Strands #979 spangram?
WHATSTHEHURRY has 13 letters, and the 7 theme words started with F, H, R, S, W, W, Z.