#858Thursday, July 9, 2026
Strands answers for July 9, 2026 — “On the lips” (#858)
Spoilers below — this page is the full record for this puzzle
The NYT Strands spangram for July 9, 2026 (puzzle #858) is KISSANDMAKEUP, a 13-letter answer to the theme "On the lips". The 7 theme words are BALM, GLOSS, LINER, PLUMPER, STAIN, STICK and TINT.
Where is each answer on the July 9 Strands board?
The 7 theme words for Strands on July 9, 2026 are listed below, followed by the spangram.
The table gives the start square, end square and travel direction of all 8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BALM | 4 | row 5, column 2 | row 7, column 3 | diagonally across the grid |
| GLOSS | 5 | row 3, column 4 | row 4, column 6 | diagonally across the grid |
| LINER | 5 | row 4, column 1 | row 3, column 3 | diagonally across the grid |
| PLUMPER | 7 | row 8, column 6 | row 7, column 4 | diagonally across the grid |
| STAIN | 5 | row 2, column 4 | row 2, column 6 | diagonally across the grid |
| STICK | 5 | row 1, column 1 | row 1, column 3 | diagonally across the grid |
| TINT | 4 | row 8, column 3 | row 7, column 1 | diagonally across the grid |
| KISSANDMAKEUP | 13 | row 5, column 1 | row 6, column 2 | diagonally across the grid |
What did the July 9 Strands grid look like?
The Strands board for July 9, 2026 is a six-column, eight-row grid of 48 letters.
Spangram — 13 letters7 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 S-T-K-T-A-I, row 2 reads N-I-C-S-L-N, row 3 reads I-E-R-G-O-S, row 4 reads L-I-S-N-D-S, row 5 reads K-B-S-A-A-M, row 6 reads A-P-U-E-K-U, row 7 reads T-L-M-R-M-L, and row 8 reads N-I-T-E-P-P.
How hard was the July 9 Strands puzzle?
On the same measure applied to every puzzle since 2024, Strands #858 comes out above average, ahead of 66% of them.
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 9 Strands puzzle?
Strands puzzle #858 was edited by Tracy Bennett and constructed by Sam Corbin. Output across the whole run is broken down on who makes NYT Strands.
Common questions about the July 9 Strands puzzle
What was the clue for Strands on July 9, 2026?
The Strands clue for July 9, 2026 is “On the lips”, on puzzle #858. It is answered by the spangram KISSANDMAKEUP, and all 7 theme words that day belong to that idea.
What were the Strands words on July 9, 2026?
The 7 Strands theme words for July 9, 2026 are BALM, GLOSS, LINER, PLUMPER, STAIN, STICK and TINT, plus the spangram KISSANDMAKEUP.
What was the big word in the July 9, 2026 Strands?
The big word — the spangram — for July 9, 2026 is KISSANDMAKEUP, 13 letters long, running from row 5, column 1 to row 6, column 2. It is the one word that touches two opposite sides of the board and states the theme outright.
What did the Strands theme “On the lips” mean?
The Strands theme “On the lips” for July 9, 2026 means KISSANDMAKEUP — that is what the spangram spells, and every one of the 7 theme words is an example of it.
How many theme words are in Strands July 9, 2026?
Strands puzzle #858 has 7 theme words plus one spangram, and together they use all 48 letters on the board exactly once.
How difficult was the July 9, 2026 Strands puzzle?
Strands #858 rates above average on a computed index, harder than 66% of every Strands puzzle published since March 2024.
What number was the Strands puzzle on July 9, 2026?
The Strands puzzle published on Thursday, July 9, 2026 is #858, 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.