NYT Strands Yesterday - Hints, Spangram & Answers for February 18
By | Last edited Feb 18, 2026
Mat C.
Managing Editor
Mat is a certified word nerd who's spent 10+ years crafting documentation and content systems at Shopify that actually make sense. When he's not obsessively ensuring our Wordle, Strands, and Connections hints are spot-on, he's probably solving tomorrow's puzzle just for fun.
Need help with yesterday's NYT Strands puzzle for Feb 18, 2026? Our interactive solver provides helpful hints that guide you to the solution without spoiling the fun! Use the "Reveal" toggle to gradually uncover letters for each spangram or theme word. You can also click on any word to see its position on the board without revealing the word itself, or browse through our collection of hint words to get unstuck.
Hint words are words that can be formed from the puzzle's letters but aren't part of the theme solution. When you play these words in the NYT Strands game, they'll count towards your hint counter, giving you helpful clues without revealing the actual answers. Try our Anagram Solver to find more word combinations from your letters.
Master the New York Times' innovative word search puzzle with themed words and spangrams
What is NYT Strands and How to Play?
Strands is a captivating blend of Spelling Bee, Connections, and classic word searches. Every day, players are given 48 letters on a 6 x 8 board and a theme. The task? To uncover the Spangram and all the theme words.
Steps for Solving the NYT StrandsPuzzle
Discover Theme Words
Fill the board entirely with thematic answers. They are highlighted in blue when found and don't overlap.
Reveal the Spangram
Search for the Spangram, a crucial puzzle element touching two opposite sides of the board. It encapsulates the theme and may consist of two words. It is highlighted in yellow when found.
Earn Hints
Need a nudge in the right direction? Find non-theme words to earn hints. For every 3 non-theme words you uncover, a hint will highlight the letters to find a theme word without revealing the word directly.
How to Earn Hints
1
Find any valid 4+ letter word that's NOT a theme word
2
Each non-theme word fills up your hint meter
3
After 3 non-theme words, your hint is ready
Frequently Asked Questions
A new Strands puzzle is released daily at midnight Eastern Time, giving players a fresh challenge every day. The puzzle remains available for 24 hours before the next one is released, so you have plenty of time to solve it at your own pace.
Yes, NYT Strands is currently free to play during its beta testing phase. The game is available on the New York Times Games website without any subscription required. However, this may change after the official launch, so enjoy it while it's free!
Yes, you can play Strands on mobile devices through your web browser. The game is fully responsive and works well on smartphones and tablets. While there isn't a dedicated mobile app yet, one is expected to be released after the game exits beta testing.
Each Strands puzzle typically contains between 6-9 words total, including the spangram. The exact number varies from puzzle to puzzle, but you'll always need to find all theme words plus the spangram to complete the puzzle successfully.
No, words in Strands never overlap. When you complete a puzzle, each letter on the 6x8 grid is used exactly once across all the theme words and the spangram. This means every single letter belongs to one and only one word, creating a perfect puzzle solution.
No, unlike games like Spelling Bee where letters can be reused multiple times, each letter in Strands is used exactly once. This makes the puzzle more challenging because you need to find words that use all 48 letters on the board without any overlap or repetition.
Yes, every Strands puzzle has exactly one spangram. The spangram is a special word that describes the theme and must touch two opposite sides of the board. It can be a single word or a two-word phrase, but there's always just one per puzzle.
Any recognized English word that is at least 4 letters long and isn't part of the theme solution counts as a valid non-theme word. These words help you earn hints - find three of them and you'll get a hint that highlights the letters of one theme word.
Currently, only the daily puzzle is available officially through the New York Times Games website. Unlike some other puzzle games, Strands doesn't offer an archive of past puzzles, so you'll need to solve each day's puzzle when it's available.
You've successfully completed a Strands puzzle when all 48 letters on the board are highlighted. Theme words appear in blue when found, and the spangram appears in yellow. Once every letter is colored and all words are discovered, you've won!
There's no penalty if you can't find all the words in a Strands puzzle. You can keep trying as long as the puzzle is available, use hints to help you along, or simply wait for tomorrow's puzzle if you get stuck. The game is designed to be challenging but enjoyable.
No, proper nouns are not allowed in Strands. Only common English words are accepted as valid answers. This means names of people, places, or brands won't work - stick to regular dictionary words that fit the theme.
There's no time limit for solving a Strands puzzle within its 24-hour availability window. You can take as long as you need to think through the theme, find all the words, and complete the puzzle. The only deadline is when the next puzzle is released at midnight Eastern Time.
Strands differs from traditional word searches in several key ways: there's no word list provided, so you must discover words based on the theme clue; all answers must relate to the daily theme; the spangram concept is unique to Strands; and words can zigzag in any direction, not just straight lines.
Yes! Strands provides a spoiler-free sharing feature that creates an emoji grid showing your progress without revealing the actual words. This lets you share your success with friends and family on social media without giving away the solution.
Strands is edited by Tracy Bennett, who also serves as the editor for Wordle. Her expertise in creating engaging daily puzzles helps ensure that each Strands puzzle is challenging, fair, and enjoyable for players of all skill levels.
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