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This is the answer guide for NYT Strands puzzle #691, dated Friday, January 23, 2026. The theme is “None the wiser.” Start with a hint and letter clues below, or scroll to the spoiler-marked section for the full answers.
Hints for Strands #691
The general theme hint is: “I believe you!”
The theme words begin with these letter pairs, in the source’s order:
- NA
- CA
- AR
- GU
- CR
The spangram begins with BO. Its path uses a mix of vertical and horizontal moves.
How Strands works
Find the theme words hidden in the letter grid. According to Parade’s January 23 guide, theme words are highlighted blue when found, while the spangram—which describes the theme and reaches two opposite sides of the board—is highlighted yellow. Finding three non-theme words earns a hint. Parade attributes these instructions to The New York Times; the official rules page was not independently accessible for this puzzle guide.
Spoilers: the answers
Stop here if you want to solve the grid first.
- NAIVE
- CALLOW
- ARTLESS
- GULLIBLE
- CREDULOUS
Spangram: BORNYESTERDAY
There are five theme words and one spangram, for six words total when the spangram is counted.
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Puzzle-specific date, theme, clues, and answers are reported in Parade’s January 23, 2026 Strands guide.
Quick Recap
Rank #3
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