#721Sunday, February 22, 2026
Strands answers for February 22, 2026 — “Olympics wrap-up” (#721)
Spoilers below — this page is the full record for this puzzle
The NYT Strands spangram for February 22, 2026 (puzzle #721) is CLOSINGCEREMONY, a 15-letter answer to the theme "Olympics wrap-up". The 6 theme words are ANTHEM, ATHLETE, FLAG, FLAME, MEDAL and PARADE.
Where is each answer on the February 22 Strands board?
The full answer set for puzzle #721 is 6 theme words and one spangram.
The table gives the start square, end square and travel direction of all 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANTHEM | 6 | row 8, column 4 | row 8, column 6 | diagonally across the grid |
| ATHLETE | 7 | row 2, column 5 | row 4, column 6 | diagonally across the grid |
| FLAG | 4 | row 8, column 1 | row 5, column 1 | bottom to top |
| FLAME | 5 | row 3, column 2 | row 1, column 1 | diagonally across the grid |
| MEDAL | 5 | row 5, column 6 | row 6, column 6 | diagonally across the grid |
| PARADE | 6 | row 8, column 2 | row 4, column 2 | bottom to top |
| CLOSINGCEREMONY | 15 | row 8, column 3 | row 5, column 4 | bottom to top |
What did the February 22 Strands grid look like?
The grid below is six letters wide and eight rows deep, with every answer traced through the letters it uses.
Spangram — 15 letters6 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 E-C-E-R-E-T, row 2 reads M-L-G-M-A-H, row 3 reads A-F-N-O-L-T, row 4 reads D-E-I-N-E-E, row 5 reads G-A-S-Y-E-M, row 6 reads A-R-O-D-A-L, row 7 reads L-A-L-T-H-E, and row 8 reads F-P-C-A-N-M.
How hard was the February 22 Strands puzzle?
Strands #721 scores easy on our difficulty index, harder than 15% 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 February 22 Strands puzzle?
Strands puzzle #721 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 February 22 Strands puzzle
What was the clue for Strands on February 22, 2026?
The Strands clue for February 22, 2026 is “Olympics wrap-up”, on puzzle #721. It is answered by the spangram CLOSINGCEREMONY, and all 6 theme words that day belong to that idea.
What were the Strands words on February 22, 2026?
The 6 Strands theme words for February 22, 2026 are ANTHEM, ATHLETE, FLAG, FLAME, MEDAL and PARADE, plus the spangram CLOSINGCEREMONY.
What was the big word in the February 22, 2026 Strands?
The big word — the spangram — for February 22, 2026 is CLOSINGCEREMONY, 15 letters long, running from row 8, column 3 to row 5, column 4. It is the one word that touches two opposite sides of the board and states the theme outright.
What did the Strands theme “Olympics wrap-up” mean?
The Strands theme “Olympics wrap-up” for February 22, 2026 means CLOSINGCEREMONY — that is what the spangram spells, and every one of the 6 theme words is an example of it.
How many theme words are in Strands February 22, 2026?
Strands puzzle #721 has 6 theme words plus one spangram, and together they use all 48 letters on the board exactly once.
How difficult was the February 22, 2026 Strands puzzle?
Strands #721 rates easy on a computed index, harder than 15% of every Strands puzzle published since March 2024.
What number was the Strands puzzle on February 22, 2026?
The Strands puzzle published on Sunday, February 22, 2026 is #721, 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 February 2026, part of the full Strands archive.