Issue #796 Fri 8 May
NYT Strands Hints & Answer — May 8, 2026
Five theme words plus a twelve-letter spangram. A tidy, cohesive grid with one clear connective thread.
Theme 3 reveals
Today's theme
Something your grandmother might say when asked how the soup was. Neither special nor bad. Just... there.
An everyday English idiom meaning average or unexceptional.
IDIOM MEANING ORDINARY
Spangram 4 hints · 12 letters
The connector word
Three-word prepositional phrase; idiom
12 letters.
Starts with R, ends with L.
RUN OF THE MILL
Group hint 1 reveal
Show all starting letters
Starting letters
- 1 B (5 letters)
- 2 C (6 letters)
- 3 O (8 letters)
- 4 P (10 letters)
- 5 P (7 letters)
Group hint 1 reveal
Show the first two letters of each
First two letters
- 1 BA (5 letters)
- 2 CO (6 letters)
- 3 OR (8 letters)
- 4 PE (10 letters)
- 5 PR (7 letters)
Theme word 1 of 5 5 hints · 5 letters
A theme word
The adjective your friend uses when they can't think of a more interesting word. Stripped of frills, without distinction.
5 letters.
Starts with B.
Starts with BA.
BASIC
Theme word 2 of 5 5 hints · 6 letters
A theme word
Shared by many; found everywhere without rarity. The opposite of scarce or unusual.
6 letters.
Starts with C.
Starts with CO.
COMMON
Theme word 3 of 5 5 hints · 8 letters
A theme word
Neither elevated nor lowered. The default, the expected, the unremarkable middle.
8 letters.
Starts with O.
Starts with OR.
ORDINARY
Theme word 4 of 5 5 hints · 10 letters
A theme word
Describes a person who travels on foot — or, figuratively, prose and thinking that plods without lift.
10 letters.
Starts with P.
Starts with PE.
PEDESTRIAN
Theme word 5 of 5 5 hints · 7 letters
A theme word
A word borrowed from poetry: verse that lacks metre, or an outlook that lacks imagination.
7 letters.
Starts with P.
Starts with PR.
PROSAIC
Spoiler zone
Complete Strands answer
Open only the solution you want to see. Each answer stays hidden until you choose to reveal it.
Reveal the spangram
Reveal all theme words
- BASIC
- COMMON
- ORDINARY
- PEDESTRIAN
- PROSAIC
Verified solution for .
Frequently asked questions
Spoiler-free help for Strands on May 8, 2026. Every answer below helps you along without giving the game away — ready to see the full solution? See the complete Strands answer for May 8, 2026, or browse every Strands puzzle in the archive.
How hard is NYT Strands on May 8, 2026?
NYT Strands on May 8, 2026 rates 2 out of 4 — a moderate challenge. There are 5 theme words to find, plus the spangram that ties them together.
Where does the May 8, 2026 Strands spangram start?
The spangram is 12 letters long and stretches right across the board. It begins with the letter "R" — the hints above ease you toward the rest one step at a time, without spelling it out.
What is the theme of NYT Strands on May 8, 2026?
We keep the theme under wraps here so nothing is spoiled — but the ladder above walks you into it, starting with the puzzle's overall vibe. Want it stated outright, with the spangram and all 5 words? Open the answer section on this page.
Today
- Difficulty
- Steady
- At a glance
- 5 theme words · 12-letter spangram
Today on Cluestand
Today
- Difficulty
- Steady
- At a glance
- 5 theme words · 12-letter spangram