The NYT Strands answer for April 10, 2026 carries a theme that is equal parts clever and fitting: today’s puzzle #768 centres entirely on words that mean cunning, crafty, or artfully deceptive. If you found yourself stumped by a grid full of sly synonyms, you are far from alone. This guide walks you through gentle hints first, then delivers the full spoiler — including today’s Spangram — for anyone who needs it.
What Is NYT Strands and How the Game Works
NYT Strands is a free daily word-search puzzle on the New York Times Games platform. Players tap or swipe connected letter tiles to form words that all link back to a central theme. One special word — the Spangram — stretches from one edge of the board to the other and captures the entire theme in a single word or phrase.
Every time a player finds three non-theme words of four or more letters, the game reveals one theme word as a hint. The puzzle uses every single letter on the board, so a completed grid leaves no tile untouched.
Today’s Theme: Artful, Savvy, and On the Sly
The official theme for NYT Strands #768 is: “On the sly.”
If that phrase alone did not crack open the puzzle for you, the secondary clue points you firmly in the right direction: “Artful or savvy.” Every theme word today is a synonym for clever deception or shrewd cunning — the kind of language you would use to describe a fox outwitting a hunter.
This theme sits in the vocabulary-heavy category of Strands puzzles, where broad general knowledge helps more than any specific subject expertise.
Clue Words to Unlock In-Game Hints
Before diving into answers, try using these non-theme filler words to unlock the game’s built-in hint system. Every time you find three words of four letters or more from anywhere on the board, Strands highlights one theme word for you.
These confirmed clue words work for today’s grid:
RAIN, STAR, RATS, FLED, WHERE, WING, RAIL, DEFY, SAIL, LICK, DIVE, LIKE
You do not need to use these specific words — any valid four-letter-or-longer word on the board counts toward unlocking a hint. These simply represent a confirmed set that works if you want a reliable shortcut.
Gentle Hints Before the Full Spoiler
Not ready for the complete answer list yet? Try these directional nudges first:
- Hint 1: Every theme word today means the same thing — think of descriptions for a con artist, a spy, or a street-smart operator
- Hint 2: The shortest theme word has just four letters and sounds like something a magician might be
- Hint 3: One theme word has seven letters and carries a slightly darker, more sinister edge than the others
- Hint 4: The Spangram is an idiom — a popular English expression that compares a clever creature to a certain level of intelligence
- Hint 5: Look for the Spangram starting from the furthest-left letter on the top row, then wind downward through the grid
All NYT Strands #768 Answers for April 10, 2026
Here are all seven confirmed theme words for today’s puzzle:
🦊 Spangram: LIKEAFOX
*(Starts at the furthest-left letter on the top row and winds downward)*
Theme Words:
- WILY — Skilled at gaining an advantage through indirect or cunning methods
- CANNY — Having shrewd judgment, especially in practical matters
- SLICK — Cleverly executed in a smooth, almost deceptively easy way
- CRAFTY — Skilled at deceiving others; using one’s skills in a clever way
- SHREWD — Having or showing sharp powers of judgment; astute
- DEVIOUS — Showing a skillful use of underhanded tactics to achieve goals
- CUNNING — Having or showing skill in achieving one’s ends by deceit or evasion
All seven words, plus the Spangram LIKEAFOX, account for every letter on today’s board.
Why Today’s Puzzle Felt Tricky to Many Players
Today’s difficulty comes from the theme’s semantic closeness — all seven words mean roughly the same thing, which makes it hard to “think your way” toward the next answer once you already have a few. Players who know their vocabulary synonyms well will likely have sailed through. Those who rely more on pattern recognition in the grid may have found the overlapping letter sequences disorienting.
The Spangram LIKEAFOX is a well-known English idiom meaning extremely clever or cunning, which makes it satisfying to spot in hindsight — and frustrating to miss in the moment. Reports suggest puzzles with idiomatic Spangrams consistently rank among the trickier weekly entries on the NYT Games community boards.
Some of the Hardest Strands Puzzles on Record
For context on today’s difficulty, here are three of the most notoriously tough Strands themes published so far:
- #1 — “Dated Slang” (January 21): Players unfamiliar with old-school lingo struggled hard; toughest word was PHAT
- #2 — “Thar She Blows” (January 15): Required specific marine biology knowledge; toughest word was BALEEN or RIGHT
- #3 — “Off the Hook” (January 9): Another deep-sea theme that rewarded niche knowledge; toughest words were BIGEYE or SKIPJACK
Today’s “On the Sly” puzzle does not match those three for sheer obscurity, but its synonym-heavy theme gives it a respectable difficulty rating for vocabulary-focused players.
How to Access NYT Strands Every Day
NYT Strands is free to play at nytimes.com/games/strands and through the New York Times Games app on iOS and Android. No subscription is required for daily access. A new puzzle drops every night at midnight Eastern Time, and each puzzle expires with the day — you cannot go back and play yesterday’s board after midnight.