Strands August 6, 2026: Answers, Spangram & Hints (#1064)
Recap
This puzzle featured a variety of flowering plants and a larger natural symbol, requiring solvers to think creatively about the connections between the theme answers and the overall pattern, with a range of easy to challenging clues to solve.
The official theme clue
Blossoming forth
Printed above the board in the app itself that day — the line that decided which of the many words hiding in the grid actually counted.
Strands hints, one rung at a time
Six rungs, softest first. The recap above already named the answers, so this ladder is here for anyone replaying the board fresh rather than as a spoiler shield.
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Hint 1: What the theme was getting at
A reading of the theme. No answers.
The theme is about types of plants that produce beautiful blooms, often associated with specific times of year or regions, and are commonly found in gardens or parks.
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Hint 2: The category, said plainly
The same idea, unhedged.
Types of flowering plants or shrubs, often used in landscaping or gardening
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Hint 3: Board facts: how many words, how long
Counted off the grid.
The board was 6 letters wide and 8 tall. 5 theme answers were hidden in it, plus the spangram, which ran top to bottom and was 13 letters long.
- Theme word 1
- 6 letters
- Theme word 2
- 7 letters
- Theme word 3
- 8 letters
- Theme word 4
- 8 letters
- Theme word 5
- 6 letters
- Spangram
- 13 letters, top to bottom
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Hint 4: One clue per word, easiest first
Crossword-style.
Theme word 1 (6 letters)
Small stone fruit tree with showy blossoms in early spring
Theme word 2 (7 letters)
Shrub or small tree with clusters of tiny flowers and red berries
Theme word 3 (8 letters)
Thorny tree or shrub with white or pink flowers in late spring
Theme word 4 (8 letters)
Evergreen tree with large, fragrant flowers in shades of white or pink
Theme word 5 (6 letters)
Small tree with pink or purple flowers that bloom on bare branches
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Hint 5: First two letters of every theme word
Enough to start tracing.
- Theme word 1
- CH… (6 letters)
- Theme word 2
- DO… (7 letters)
- Theme word 3
- HA… (8 letters)
- Theme word 4
- MA… (8 letters)
- Theme word 5
- RE… (6 letters)
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Hint 6: What the spangram meant
The long one that tied the board together.
The overall pattern represents a natural object that symbolizes growth and beauty, often depicted in art or literature as a symbol of renewal or harmony
It touched both edges, running top to bottom across all 8 rows.
The starting letter board
The grid as printed, 6 across and 8 down. Read only — reveal an answer below and this board traces it.
Every Strands answer and the spangram
Every answer from that board, folded. Opening one traces its path above — the spangram in gold.
Theme word 1 · 6 letters
CHERRY
A type of stone fruit tree with showy blossoms
Theme word 2 · 7 letters
DOGWOOD
A shrub or small tree with clusters of tiny flowers
Theme word 3 · 8 letters
HAWTHORN
A thorny tree or shrub with white or pink flowers
Theme word 4 · 8 letters
MAGNOLIA
An evergreen tree with large, fragrant flowers
Theme word 5 · 6 letters
REDBUD
A small tree with pink or purple flowers on bare branches
Spangram · 13 letters, top to bottom
FLOWERINGTREE
A symbol of growth and beauty, often depicted in art
This puzzle by the numbers
- Puzzle
- (#1064) · Thursday, August 6, 2026
- Theme answers
- 5 plus the spangram
- Board
- 6 × 8 letters
- Answer lengths
- 6–8 letters
- Spangram
- 13 letters, top to bottom
- Difficulty
- medium for a weekday board
- Valid non-theme words
- 760 accepted for hints
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