NYT Strands Hints Today: Friday, November 13, 2026 (#985)

Updated: Friday, November 13, 2026 · Hints reviewed by Omer Liban · New puzzle daily at midnight US Eastern Time (5am UK). · Puzzle editor: Tracy Bennett.

This page has every level of help for the NYT Strands puzzle #985 of Friday, November 13, 2026: 2 spoiler-free hint tiers that narrow things down step by step, followed by the complete answers with explanations — each behind its own tap-to-reveal card.

In a hurry? Jump straight to today's answers ↓

Today's Strands theme got you stuck? Start with the theme explainer, then reveal first letters, the spangram, and finally the full solution.

Strands is a themed word search: find the theme words hidden in the letter grid, plus the spangram — a special answer that touches two opposite sides of the board and names the theme. Every letter gets used exactly once.

Today's Strands hints (November 13, 2026)

1Understanding the theme

The official clue is “Not a good sign”. There are 6 theme words plus the spangram.

2First letters of the theme words

B, F, M, S, S, T

Strands answers — November 13, 2026 (#985)

★The spangram

ROTTENLUCK (10 letters).

★All of today's Strands answers

Spangram: ROTTENLUCK
Theme words: BROKEN, FLOOR, MIRROR, SALT, SPILLED, THIRTEENTH

Today's puzzle, explained

"Rotten luck" perfectly captures that superstitious dread of bad omens—you know, all those signs people swear bring misfortune. The theme words are the classic bad-luck culprits: breaking a mirror, spilling salt, walking on a broken floor, and of course the unlucky number thirteen. The least obvious one is probably FLOOR, since it's easy to think of it just as a surface until you remember the old "step on a crack, break your mother's back" rhyme that makes even walking treacherous in superstition land.

Yesterday's Strands answers

★ Yesterday's answers (Nov 12, #984)

AUDIENCE (8 letters).
Spangram: AUDIENCE
Theme words: CONCERTGOER, LISTENER, PATRON, SPECTATOR, VIEWER

Missed it? Yesterday's Strands hints & answers (Nov 12, #984) →

Next in today's routine: Spelling Bee → · every game's answers on one page. New puzzle daily at midnight US Eastern Time (5am UK). Bookmark this page for tomorrow's hints. Or play Strands on the official site.

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Strands — common questions

What is a spangram in Strands?

The spangram is the special theme word or phrase that touches two opposite sides of the board. It describes the puzzle's theme and always exists in every Strands puzzle.

How do I earn hints in Strands itself?

Finding three non-theme words in the grid earns one in-game hint, which highlights the letters of a theme word.

Can theme words overlap in Strands?

No — every letter in the grid is used exactly once across the theme words and spangram, which is a powerful deduction tool late in the puzzle.

Previous Strands puzzles

Full Strands archive (185 puzzles) → · How to play Strands (spangram tactics) →