Issue #804 Sat 16 May
NYT Strands Hints & Answer — May 16, 2026
Five theme words and a twelve-letter spangram. Once you spot the long one, the connecting idea sits in plain sight — but the shorter answers like to hide inside each other's letters. Trace the whole band before you commit to a single tile.
Theme 3 reveals
Today's theme
A glass case fogged with warmth, a brass bell over the door, and a small queue forming on the pavement before the morning light has fully arrived.
A category of Old World culinary establishments — small neighbourhood shops built around a centuries-old craft tradition of refined dough and fine sugar work.
Bon appétit!
Spangram 4 hints · 12 letters
The connector word
A compound noun — an everyday name for a kind of neighbourhood shop.
A nationality adjective set hard against a plain trade noun with no space between, in the unfussy painted lettering you'd read on a high-street window.
Starts with F, ends with Y.
FRENCHBAKERY
Group hint 1 reveal
Show all starting letters
Starting letters
- 1 C (9 letters)
- 2 E (6 letters)
- 3 M (7 letters)
- 4 M (8 letters)
- 5 M (6 letters)
Group hint 1 reveal
Show the first two letters of each
First two letters
- 1 CR (9 letters)
- 2 EC (6 letters)
- 3 MA (7 letters)
- 4 ME (8 letters)
- 5 MO (6 letters)
Theme word 1 of 5 5 hints · 9 letters
A theme word
A flaky, crescent-shaped roll built from many buttery folded layers, a classic companion to a hot cup of coffee on a slow Continental morning.
9 letters.
Starts with C.
Starts with CR.
CROISSANT
Theme word 2 of 5 5 hints · 6 letters
A theme word
An oblong shell of light choux pastry, split and piped full of cream, then glazed across the top with a glossy dark ribbon of chocolate.
6 letters.
Starts with E.
Starts with EC.
ECLAIR
Theme word 3 of 5 5 hints · 7 letters
A theme word
A small, brightly tinted sandwich confection of almond-flour shells around a ganache or buttercream centre, famously tricky to get perfectly smooth.
7 letters.
Starts with M.
Starts with MA.
MACARON
Theme word 4 of 5 5 hints · 8 letters
A theme word
Egg whites whipped with sugar until they hold stiff glossy peaks, then dried slow in a low oven or torched gold atop a tart lemon pie.
8 letters.
Starts with M.
Starts with ME.
MERINGUE
Theme word 5 of 5 5 hints · 6 letters
A theme word
An airy chilled dessert, lightened with whipped cream or beaten egg, that holds a spoon's shape yet collapses softly the moment it meets the tongue.
6 letters.
Starts with M.
Starts with MO.
MOUSSE
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
- CROISSANT
- ECLAIR
- MACARON
- MERINGUE
- MOUSSE
Verified solution for .
Frequently asked questions
Spoiler-free help for Strands on May 16, 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 16, 2026, or browse every Strands puzzle in the archive.
How hard is NYT Strands on May 16, 2026?
NYT Strands on May 16, 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 16, 2026 Strands spangram start?
The spangram is 12 letters long and stretches right across the board. It begins with the letter "F" — 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 16, 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