This is yesterday's Strands puzzle (November 4, 2026). See today's Strands puzzle.
Wednesday morning, and yesterday's puzzle is all about the crew that gets the work done. Yesterday's NYT Strands (#976, November 4, 2026) hides five theme words plus a spangram in the grid, all tied to one workplace idea. The strands hints for today below start gentle and build up, so you can enjoy the hunt without giving the day away, and the full answers wait behind the reveal when you are ready for them.
Yesterday's Strands puzzle details
- Date
- November 4, 2026
- Puzzle #
- #976
- Theme words
- 5 + spangram
- Spangram
- 14 letters
Spoiler warning: the hints here are spoiler-safe. The answer is hidden further down this page behind a clear reveal control. Scroll carefully.
Yesterday's Strands hints
Climb the ladder from the gentlest nudge to the strongest clue. No peeking at the next clue until you've given the current one a real try.
Strands hint 1 The themeGentle
Yesterday's theme is all about the crew that keeps a workplace running, from new hires to the whole team.
Strands hint 2 First lettersWarm
The theme words start with LA, PE, PE, ST and WO.
Strands hint 3 Spangram directionWarmer
The spangram starts in the top-left corner and winds all the way to the bottom-right corner.
Strands hint 4 Spangram lengthHot
The spangram is a two-word phrase with 14 letters, starting with H.
Strands hint 5 The final nudgeStrongest
Think of the department that hires, supports and looks after every employee in a company.
Yesterday's Strands answer
Open only the groups you need. Each reveal stays hidden until you tap it.
Reveal yesterday's answer
Spangram: HUMAN RESOURCES. Theme words: LABOR, PEOPLE, PERSONNEL, STAFF, WORKFORCE.
Yesterday's games
Missed yesterday? See yesterday's hints and answers for every game.
What does yesterday's Strands answer mean?
Reveal the meanings (contains spoilers)
Yesterday's nyt strands answers gather the whole crew. The spangram HUMAN RESOURCES runs from the top-left corner down through the middle of the board and finishes in the bottom-right corner, cutting a wide path straight through the grid. The five theme words fill in around it: PERSONNEL winds across the top rows, STAFF tucks into the left side, LABOR sits in the middle, PEOPLE fills the center, and WORKFORCE curls through the bottom rows. Find the spangram first and the rest of the board settles into place.
How hard is yesterday's Strands?
Difficulty: Medium
Start with the spangram: it runs from the top-left corner down through the center of the board and finishes in the bottom-right corner, clearing a wide path. The top rows fill in next, the left side settles after that, and the bottom rows finish last, so work outward from the spangram and the board solves itself.
What were the recent Strands answers?
- November 3, 2026Theme: I've got a song in my heart. Spangram: BELT IT OUT. Words: BALLADEER, CHORISTER, CROONER, SINGER, VOCALIST.
What is Strands?
Strands is NYT Games' twist on the classic word search, launched in beta in 2024 by the New York Times. Each daily puzzle hides theme words inside a 48-letter grid, plus a spangram that captures the day's theme.
Unlike a traditional word search, letters connect in any direction and every letter is used exactly once. The spangram always touches two opposite edges of the board.
The game has no fail state: unlimited guesses and a hint system that rewards finding non-theme words keep every puzzle solvable.
How do you play Strands?
- Find hidden theme words in a 6x8 letter grid. Every word connects to the day's theme, and each letter on the board is used exactly once.
- Connect letters by tapping or dragging through adjacent letters. Letters link in any direction: up, down, sideways, or diagonally, and words can twist and turn.
- Find the spangram: the special word or phrase that describes the theme and stretches across the board, touching two opposite edges. It highlights in yellow.
- Stuck? Find any 4+ letter word, even one that isn't theme related. Every three of these earns you a hint that reveals letters of a theme word.
- The puzzle is complete when every letter is used and all theme words plus the spangram are found. There is no guess limit, so keep exploring.
What are the best Strands strategies?
- Chase the spangram first: it describes the theme and splits the grid, which makes the remaining words much easier to spot in the leftover regions.
- Read the theme literally, then loosely: some days it is direct, other days it is a pun or a phrase. Brainstorm related words before touching the board.
- Farm hints early: string together easy 4-letter words to earn hint tokens. A revealed theme word often cracks the puzzle open.
- Work the edges: the spangram touches two opposite sides, so scan the borders for long words that could stretch across.
- Watch for word shapes: theme words twist through the grid. If you spot a promising start, follow every adjacent path before giving up on it.
More daily puzzles
Strategy guides
Frequently asked questions
What is the Strands spangram today?
The spangram stays hidden behind the reveal button above so we do not spoil your solve. As a nudge: it is a two-word phrase with 14 letters, starting with H, that names the department looking after every employee.
How many words are in yesterday's Strands?
There are 6 words total: 5 theme words plus the spangram. Every one of the 48 letters on the board is used exactly once, so there are no leftovers.
What is yesterday's Strands theme?
Yesterday's theme title is Getting the job done, the workplace idea that ties every word on the board together.
How do hints work in Strands?
Find any word of 4 or more letters, even if it is not theme related. Every three such words earns a hint token that reveals the letters of one theme word, in order, to get you unstuck.
What time does Strands reset?
Strands resets at midnight in your local timezone, like the other NYT games. A fresh 6x8 grid with a new theme appears every day, so there is always another NYT Strands puzzle waiting.