Strands · No. 897 · Monday, August 17, 2026
NYT Strands #897 hints and answers
Today’s theme clue is “On a bender”. Hints for the theme and the spangram, one step at a time.
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0 of 8 theme words foundToday’s themeOn a bender
Every 3 non-theme words you find earn a hint.
The hint ladder
0 of 8 hints usedThe theme7 words✓ Solved
NudgeReveal nudge
Every spot that folds, from hand to foot
Helpful?
HintReveal hint
Anatomical places where two bones meet and hinge, pivot, or swivel — arms, legs, neckline area included
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One wordReveal one word
One theme word: SHOULDER
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AnswerReveal answer
Theme words: ANKLE, ELBOW, KNEE, KNUCKLE, NECK, SHOULDER, WRIST
The spangramTouches two sides✓ Solved
NudgeReveal nudge
Skeleton hardware, named as plainly as possible
Helpful?
HintReveal hint
A two-word compound: your physical frame, plus the general term for its bendable connection points
Helpful?
One wordReveal one word
B _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ S (10 letters)
Helpful?
AnswerReveal answer
BODYJOINTS
Hints drafted with AI and checked automatically for spoilers. How we write hints