Spoiler warning: These hints and answers are for NYT Strands puzzle #711, dated Thursday, February 12, 2026. The theme is “Sink or swim.” Read the clues first if you want help without seeing the full solution.
Hints for Strands #711
The theme points to things that can make a situation succeed or fail. Try these clue words before revealing the answers:
- GRATE
- SLACK
- GIVE
- TAKE
- POSIT
- CAST
- HIVE
The spangram has 10 letters. It runs from the top edge of the board at column three to the bottom edge at column five.
Full answers
The spangram is HIGHSTAKES.
The five theme words are:
- CRITICAL
- DECISIVE
- IMPERATIVE
- PIVOTAL
- RISKY
How Strands hints work
Strands is a New York Times word-search game. The themed words fill the board without overlapping, and the spangram describes the theme while touching two opposite sides. Finding three non-theme words earns a hint that reveals letters in a theme word.
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