The New York Times released Strands game game 869 with tips and solutions available for July 20, 2026. Tips for the puzzle came through publications including Mashable, Tom's Guide and PC Guide. Today's hints included the topic, hints and the game's long stretch. Sunday's scheduled Strands Sidekick tips up as game number 870. Fans may check the bonus nudge before working on the day's full letter set on the app. Spangrams remain the broad left-right answer that links two sides of the board, and game 869's theme phrase sits in that same standard slot. Theme hunters who start the win warms hits to get going as a rule clear the smaller theme words before mining the theme-hint words. Tom's Guide also flagged a small match offered only if solvers lose steam after the standard word list has been gone through.