#814Tuesday, May 26, 2026
Strands answers for May 26, 2026 — “On the nature trail” (#814)
Spoilers below — this page is the full record for this puzzle
The NYT Strands spangram for May 26, 2026 (puzzle #814) is SCAVENGERHUNT, a 13-letter answer to the theme "On the nature trail". The 6 theme words are ACORN, DAISY, FEATHER, MOSS, PAWPRINT and PUDDLE.
Where is each answer on the May 26 Strands board?
The 6 theme words for Strands on May 26, 2026 are listed below, followed by the 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACORN | 5 | row 5, column 6 | row 3, column 5 | diagonally across the grid |
| DAISY | 5 | row 7, column 4 | row 5, column 4 | diagonally across the grid |
| FEATHER | 7 | row 6, column 2 | row 3, column 2 | bottom to top |
| MOSS | 4 | row 2, column 5 | row 1, column 6 | diagonally across the grid |
| PAWPRINT | 8 | row 7, column 3 | row 2, column 1 | diagonally across the grid |
| PUDDLE | 6 | row 1, column 4 | row 1, column 3 | diagonally across the grid |
| SCAVENGERHUNT | 13 | row 1, column 1 | row 8, column 1 | top to bottom |
What did the May 26 Strands grid look like?
The Strands board for May 26, 2026 is a six-column, eight-row grid of 48 letters.
Spangram — 13 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 S-L-E-P-S-S, row 2 reads T-C-D-U-M-O, row 3 reads N-R-A-D-N-R, row 4 reads I-H-E-V-O-C, row 5 reads R-T-A-Y-E-A, row 6 reads P-F-E-I-S-N, row 7 reads W-A-P-D-A-G, and row 8 reads T-N-U-H-R-E.
How hard was the May 26 Strands puzzle?
On the same measure applied to every puzzle since 2024, Strands #814 comes out easy, ahead of 19% 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 May 26 Strands puzzle?
Strands puzzle #814 was edited by Tracy Bennett, who also constructed it. Output across the whole run is broken down on who makes NYT Strands.
Common questions about the May 26 Strands puzzle
What was the clue for Strands on May 26, 2026?
The Strands clue for May 26, 2026 is “On the nature trail”, on puzzle #814. It is answered by the spangram SCAVENGERHUNT, and all 6 theme words that day belong to that idea.
What were the Strands words on May 26, 2026?
The 6 Strands theme words for May 26, 2026 are ACORN, DAISY, FEATHER, MOSS, PAWPRINT and PUDDLE, plus the spangram SCAVENGERHUNT.
What was the big word in the May 26, 2026 Strands?
The big word — the spangram — for May 26, 2026 is SCAVENGERHUNT, 13 letters long, running from row 1, column 1 to row 8, column 1. 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 nature trail” mean?
The Strands theme “On the nature trail” for May 26, 2026 means SCAVENGERHUNT — 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 May 26, 2026?
Strands puzzle #814 has 6 theme words plus one spangram, and together they use all 48 letters on the board exactly once.
How difficult was the May 26, 2026 Strands puzzle?
Strands #814 rates easy on a computed index, harder than 19% of every Strands puzzle published since March 2024.
What number was the Strands puzzle on May 26, 2026?
The Strands puzzle published on Tuesday, May 26, 2026 is #814, 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.