#804Saturday, May 16, 2026
Strands answers for May 16, 2026 — “Bon appétit!” (#804)
Spoilers below — this page is the full record for this puzzle
The NYT Strands spangram for May 16, 2026 (puzzle #804) is FRENCHBAKERY, a 12-letter answer to the theme "Bon appétit!". The 5 theme words are CROISSANT, ECLAIR, MACARON, MERINGUE and MOUSSE.
Where is each answer on the May 16 Strands board?
The full answer set for puzzle #804 is 5 theme words and one spangram.
The table gives the start square, end square and travel direction of all 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CROISSANT | 9 | row 5, column 4 | row 7, column 4 | diagonally across the grid |
| ECLAIR | 6 | row 6, column 3 | row 7, column 1 | diagonally across the grid |
| MACARON | 7 | row 2, column 5 | row 3, column 4 | diagonally across the grid |
| MERINGUE | 8 | row 2, column 1 | row 4, column 2 | diagonally across the grid |
| MOUSSE | 6 | row 8, column 1 | row 8, column 6 | left to right |
| FRENCHBAKERY | 12 | row 1, column 1 | row 7, column 6 | diagonally across the grid |
What did the May 16 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 — 12 letters5 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 F-R-E-N-C-H, row 2 reads M-A-C-A-M-B, row 3 reads E-R-O-N-O-A, row 4 reads R-E-U-R-I-K, row 5 reads I-N-G-C-S-E, row 6 reads I-L-E-A-S-R, row 7 reads R-A-C-T-N-Y, and row 8 reads M-O-U-S-S-E.
How hard was the May 16 Strands puzzle?
Strands #804 scores easy on our difficulty index, harder than 5% 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 May 16 Strands puzzle?
Strands puzzle #804 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 May 16 Strands puzzle
What was the clue for Strands on May 16, 2026?
The Strands clue for May 16, 2026 is “Bon appétit!”, on puzzle #804. It is answered by the spangram FRENCHBAKERY, and all 5 theme words that day belong to that idea.
What were the Strands words on May 16, 2026?
The 5 Strands theme words for May 16, 2026 are CROISSANT, ECLAIR, MACARON, MERINGUE and MOUSSE, plus the spangram FRENCHBAKERY.
What was the big word in the May 16, 2026 Strands?
The big word — the spangram — for May 16, 2026 is FRENCHBAKERY, 12 letters long, running from row 1, column 1 to row 7, 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 “Bon appétit!” mean?
The Strands theme “Bon appétit!” for May 16, 2026 means FRENCHBAKERY — that is what the spangram spells, and every one of the 5 theme words is an example of it.
How many theme words are in Strands May 16, 2026?
Strands puzzle #804 has 5 theme words plus one spangram, and together they use all 48 letters on the board exactly once.
How difficult was the May 16, 2026 Strands puzzle?
Strands #804 rates easy on a computed index, harder than 5% of every Strands puzzle published since March 2024.
What number was the Strands puzzle on May 16, 2026?
The Strands puzzle published on Saturday, May 16, 2026 is #804, 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 May 2026, part of the full Strands archive.