New York Times' 'Strands' Game Offers Daily Puzzle Challenge

Hints, Spangram, and Answers for Tuesday, February 10, 2026

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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The New York Times' new word game 'Strands' is quickly gaining popularity as the latest daily puzzle activity for fans. This article provides a breakdown of how to play Strands, hints for today's 'spangram' puzzle theme, and all the answers for Strands #709 on February 10, 2026.

Why it matters

The rise of Strands demonstrates the continued demand for engaging, bite-sized digital diversions that can be completed in a short timeframe, similar to the success of other popular word games like Wordle. As the New York Times expands its portfolio of interactive online content, Strands represents an opportunity to attract and retain readers through a new type of daily challenge.

The details

Strands tasks players with finding 'theme words' that fit a daily puzzle's overarching topic, as well as discovering a 'spangram' that encapsulates the theme using words that stretch across the game board. Players can earn hints by finding non-theme words, with each hint revealing some of the letters in a theme word. Today's Strands puzzle has a theme of 'exterior building materials', with a spangram answer of 'SIDINGMATERIAL'.

  • The New York Times launched the Strands game in 2025.
  • The Strands #709 puzzle was published on Tuesday, February 10, 2026.

The players

The New York Times

The renowned American newspaper that publishes the daily Strands word game puzzle.

Kenn C. Bivins

An experienced Atlanta-based food and beverage writer, recipe developer, and content creator who authored this article about the Strands game.

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What they’re saying

“Move over, Wordle, Connections, Connections Sports Edition, and Mini Crossword—there's a new NYT word game in town!”

— Kenn C. Bivins, Author (parade.com)

“According to the New York Times, here's exactly how to play Strands:”

— Kenn C. Bivins, Author (parade.com)

What’s next

The New York Times will release a new Strands puzzle for players to solve every day.

The takeaway

The Strands game demonstrates the New York Times' continued innovation in the digital word game space, providing readers with a fresh daily challenge that builds on the success of other popular titles like Wordle. As more people seek out quick, engaging diversions, Strands represents an opportunity for the Times to attract and retain a loyal audience through this unique interactive experience.