#862Monday, July 13, 2026
Strands answers for July 13, 2026 — “Just what I needed” (#862)
Spoilers below — this page is the full record for this puzzle
The NYT Strands spangram for July 13, 2026 (puzzle #862) is HITSTHESPOT, a 11-letter answer to the theme "Just what I needed". The 4 theme words are DELIGHTFUL, ENJOYABLE, PLEASANT and SATISFYING.
Where is each answer on the July 13 Strands board?
The full answer set for puzzle #862 is 4 theme words and one spangram.
The table gives the start square, end square and travel direction of all 5 answers. Every position comes from solving the grid outright — the answers have to tile all 48 letters with no overlap and no remainder, which is what makes a single arrangement provable.
| Answer | Letters | Starts | Ends | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DELIGHTFUL | 10 | row 5, column 5 | row 3, column 5 | diagonally across the grid |
| ENJOYABLE | 9 | row 4, column 2 | row 8, column 1 | top to bottom |
| PLEASANT | 8 | row 2, column 1 | row 2, column 4 | left to right |
| SATISFYING | 10 | row 7, column 2 | row 8, column 4 | diagonally across the grid |
| HITSTHESPOT | 11 | row 5, column 1 | row 6, column 6 | left to right |
What did the July 13 Strands grid look like?
Puzzle #862 is played on 48 letters arranged in eight rows of six.
Spangram — 11 letters4 theme words
Each line traces one answer through the letters it uses; the heavier yellow line is the spangram.
Read across the grid, row 1 reads L-E-A-N-F-T, row 2 reads P-A-S-T-U-H, row 3 reads T-S-T-H-L-G, row 4 reads I-E-J-E-I-L, row 5 reads H-N-O-S-D-E, row 6 reads B-A-Y-P-O-T, row 7 reads L-S-I-S-F-Y, and row 8 reads E-A-T-G-N-I.
How hard was the July 13 Strands puzzle?
Strands #862 scores hard on our difficulty index, harder than 89% of every Strands puzzle published so far.
Easiest puzzle ever published on the left, hardest on the right. The formula behind the score, and the ranked list of every puzzle, are on the Strands difficulty index.
Who made the July 13 Strands puzzle?
Strands puzzle #862 was edited by Tracy Bennett and constructed by Christina Iverson. Output across the whole run is broken down on who makes NYT Strands.
Common questions about the July 13 Strands puzzle
What was the clue for Strands on July 13, 2026?
The Strands clue for July 13, 2026 is “Just what I needed”, on puzzle #862. It is answered by the spangram HITSTHESPOT, and all 4 theme words that day belong to that idea.
What were the Strands words on July 13, 2026?
The 4 Strands theme words for July 13, 2026 are DELIGHTFUL, ENJOYABLE, PLEASANT and SATISFYING, plus the spangram HITSTHESPOT.
What was the big word in the July 13, 2026 Strands?
The big word — the spangram — for July 13, 2026 is HITSTHESPOT, 11 letters long, running from row 5, column 1 to row 6, column 6. It is the one word that touches two opposite sides of the board and states the theme outright.
What did the Strands theme “Just what I needed” mean?
The Strands theme “Just what I needed” for July 13, 2026 means HITSTHESPOT — that is what the spangram spells, and every one of the 4 theme words is an example of it.
How many theme words are in Strands July 13, 2026?
Strands puzzle #862 has 4 theme words plus one spangram, and together they use all 48 letters on the board exactly once.
How difficult was the July 13, 2026 Strands puzzle?
Strands #862 rates hard on a computed index, harder than 89% of every Strands puzzle published since March 2024.
What number was the Strands puzzle on July 13, 2026?
The Strands puzzle published on Monday, July 13, 2026 is #862, counting from the game's launch on March 4, 2024.
Today’s puzzle and its hint ladder are on the front page. This puzzle sits in July 2026, part of the full Strands archive.