NYT Strands is the daily word-search-style puzzle from the New York Times that challenges you to uncover theme-linked words hidden across a letter grid. On 08 January 2026, the theme “If you ask me …” focused on how we express personal views, with several related words and a spangram that neatly tied the whole idea together.

08 January 2026 NYT Strands Theme: “That's just reality (TV)”

Today’s theme pointed squarely at competitive reality TV shows, especially those built around trust, deception, and dramatic eliminations. The vocabulary felt very on-brand, with words reflecting both physical settings and social gameplay mechanics. The spangram was fairly long, but once spotted, it made the rest of the grid much easier to unravel.

08 January 2026 NYT Strands: Hints

  • Think about popular reality shows built on alliances and suspicion
  • Look for words connected to medieval-style challenges and ceremonies
  • Some answers describe roles or outcomes rather than physical objects
  • The tone leans dramatic, strategic, and slightly ominous
  • Spangram ties the entire reality TV concept together and spans much of the grid

08 January 2026 NYT Strands: Answers

  • Castle (a familiar setting in the show)
  • Shield (a symbol of protection or immunity)
  • Mission (a task assigned to players)
  • Faithful (one of the core player roles)
  • Banishment (the game’s signature elimination)

Spangram

The Traitors

The spangram directly names the reality TV series inspiring the puzzle, neatly connecting all the theme words through its focus on trust, deception, and strategic gameplay dynamics.

How Strands works

Strands is a daily word search puzzle with a twist:

  • You’re given a theme.
  • The grid is packed with hidden words tied to that theme.
  • Words can run in any direction, including diagonals.
  • Once you find all the theme words, you’re done!

Each puzzle usually has around 6–8 theme words.

How to get and use hints

Hints are built right into Strands, and they’re super useful if you’re stuck:

  • To earn a hint, find any non-theme word of at least four letters in the grid.
  • Each valid extra word gives you one hint.
  • When you use a hint, one of the theme words will be revealed automatically, helping you move forward.

Pro tip: Don’t just burn hints — use them strategically when the grid feels impossible. Sometimes a single revealed word unlocks the entire board.

Tips to become a NYT Strands pro

  1. Start with obvious words. Look for clear connections to the theme first.
  2. Scan diagonals early. Strands loves to hide words at an angle.
  3. Build around found words. Once one word is cleared, the leftover letters often point to the next.
  4. Use hints wisely. Earn them steadily by spotting extra words, then save them for when you’re truly stuck.
  5. Think about synonyms. The theme clue isn’t always literal — broaden your thinking.

Final words

The 08 January 2026 Strands puzzle felt comfortably moderate, with a relatable theme and smart word choices. Once the spangram clicked, everything else fell into place nicely. How many answers did you spot before needing hints?

Come back tomorrow for a fresh grid and theme — and tell us in the comments which word stumped you the most today!