TodayHint

Letter Boxed August 2, 2026: Hints & Answers

edited by Sam Ezersky.

Recap

The August 2, 2026, NYT Letter Boxed puzzle featured a board with the letters AKY, LED, ONF, and MBS. Solvers had to create a chain of words where each word started with the last letter of the previous word, using all twelve letters without consecutive words from the same side. The official chain was FLANKS and SOMEBODY, but other valid chains existed, showcasing the puzzle's complexity and replay value.

The board that was printed

Twelve letters, three to a side. A word could hop from any side to any other but never twice in a row from the same side, and each word had to start on the letter the last one ended on.

  • TopAKY
  • RightLED
  • BottomONF
  • LeftMBS

Par is 4 words. This board accepts 889 words in total.

Letter Boxed hints, one rung at a time

Six rungs, softest first. The recap above already named the chain, so this ladder is here for anyone replaying the board fresh rather than as a spoiler shield.

  1. How the board wanted to be attacked

    Method only — no word from the chain.

    Start by examining the board's letters: AKY, LED, ONF, MBS. Look for common letters or pairs that could help you begin. Consider words that use letters from different sides to keep your options open. The goal is to find a starting word that sets you up for a smooth chain, using all twelve letters without repeating any side consecutively.

  2. Board facts: letters, par and how many words fitted

    Read off the board.

    Top side
    A · K · Y
    Right side
    L · E · D
    Bottom side
    O · N · F
    Left side
    M · B · S
    Par
    4 words
    Official chain
    2 words
    Words this board accepted
    889
    Back to the twelve letters
  3. The opening word, without naming it

    The first word has 6 letters and starts with F. It's a good idea to think about words that could logically follow from a variety of letters.

  4. How long the opening word was, and where it started
    Opening word
    6 letters, starts with F
    Word 2
    8 letters
  5. The opening word itself

    The recap above already named it; this rung is for a replay.

    Word 1
    FLANKS
  6. What each remaining word had to do

    Last rung before the full chain.

    Each word after the first began on the letter the previous one ended on, and between them they covered all 12 letters.

    Word 2
    8 letters, starts with S
    Open the full chain

Every word of that day's chain

All the words, folded. Each one stays hidden until you open it.

  • Word 1 · 6 letters

    FLANKS

    FLANKS is a noun referring to the sides or flanks of something, often used in military or anatomical contexts. It uses the letters F, L, A, N, K, and S, setting up the letter S for the next word.

  • Word 2 · 8 letters

    SOMEBODY

    SOMEBODY is a pronoun meaning some person or someone. It uses the letters S, O, M, E, B, O, D, and Y, clearing several letters and providing a strong foundation for further chaining.

Other chains that solved that board

Any chain using all twelve letters, each word starting where the last ended, was a win. These came out of that board's own word list, so every one of them was playable.

  • Alternate chain 1 · 3 words

    ABDOMENNABKSSANDFLY

  • Alternate chain 2 · 3 words

    ABDOMENSSANDFLYYOK

  • Alternate chain 3 · 3 words

    ABEAMMOKESSANDFLY

This board by the numbers

Date
Sunday, August 2, 2026
Board
4 sides of 3 letters
Par
4 words
Official chain
2 words
Words accepted
889 on this board
Other chains we verified
3

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