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Issue #685 Sat 17 Jan

NYT Strands Hints & Answer — January 17, 2026

A Friday that asks for a bit of patience and a steady hand. The grid unfolds with the quiet rhythm of a long-standing tradition.

Hints are being reviewed

The verified answer is available below, but the progressive clues for January 17, 2026 have not passed editorial review yet.

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Complete Strands answer

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FOILEDAGAIN
Reveal all theme words
  • CURSES
  • DRAT
  • FIDDLESTICKS
  • PHOOEY
  • TARNATION

Verified solution for .

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Difficulty
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5 theme words · 11-letter spangram

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