Today's NYT Strands puzzle, game #859 for July 10, 2026, follows the theme "I think...", built around common words and phrases that naturally complete that everyday expression. The spangram for today's puzzle ties the whole board together with an encouraging, hopeful phrase that reflects the theme's underlying sentiment, once again showing how Strands editor Tracy Bennett likes to throw solvers occasional curveballs by leaning on familiar idioms rather than straightforward categories.

For anyone new to the game, Strands presents a 6x8 grid of letters where the goal is to find a set of theme-related words connected in any direction, including diagonally, without letters overlapping between words. The standout word each day is the "spangram," a special theme word that touches both the left and right edges of the board and reveals what ties all the other answers together. Unlike regular theme words, the spangram can be a proper noun, adding an extra layer of unpredictability to how each day's puzzle unfolds.

One of the most useful built-in features of Strands is its hint system. Solvers who get stuck can find any word of four or more letters that isn't part of the theme, and for every three such words found, the game reveals one theme word automatically. This makes strategic hint use a genuine skill, since burning hints too early can take away some of the satisfaction of solving the puzzle independently.
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