Strands Puzzle #983 Features Muscle Group Theme
The New York Times Strands puzzle for Wednesday, November 11, 2026, challenges players with the theme “Work it out,” focusing on anatomy and strength training.
According to freshcalendars.com, the puzzle was constructed by Christina Iverson and edited by Tracy Bennett. The clue “Work it out” points to exercise, a departure from the previous day’s theme, “Influentially online.”
The game requires players to identify six theme words related to gym workouts, along with an eleven-letter spangram that anchors the board. Lifehacker reported that the spangram for this edition is MUSCLEGROUP, a term often used by personal trainers to categorize specific areas of the body targeted during exercise.
Strands hides these themed words inside a 6×8 letter grid where letters link in any direction and every letter is used exactly once.
Theme Words and Anatomy
The puzzle includes six specific muscle groups, ranging from four to ten letters in length. As detailed by technobezz.com, the theme words are BICEPS, OBLIQUES, PECS, LATS, QUADS, and HAMSTRINGS.
Technobezz.com notes that the inclusion of shortened gym slang—such as LATS for the broad back muscles and PECS for the pectorals—adds a layer of difficulty compared to full anatomical names.
The board layout forces these words into specific corners, with the ten-letter HAMSTRINGS occupying the bottom-right and the six-letter BICEPS running across the top row. The QU in the top half of the board is part of OBLIQUES, while the QU in the bottom half belongs to QUADS.
Spangram Path Through the 6×8 Grid
The spangram acts as a complex connector, zig-zagging through the center of the 6×8 grid. Freshcalendars.com reports that the spangram never holds a single direction for more than three tiles, creating a tight, tangled path between the second and fifth rows. It enters on the left edge in the second row and exits on the right edge in the third row, crossing seven turns along the way.
This structural choice leaves the bottom of the board open for the longer theme words.
Common Questions About Strands
How can players earn a hint in Strands? Players can submit any valid word of four letters or more to earn credit toward a hint. If a player uses a hint while one is already active on the board, the letter order for that specific word is revealed.
Does the game have a time limit or a maximum number of guesses?
No, the game does not impose time limits or guess restrictions. Players can continue to work on the board until all letters are used, as noted by technobezz.com.
What happens if a player submits an incorrect word? If a word is not part of the theme, the text on the screen will shake to indicate the input is invalid or too short. There is no penalty for these incorrect submissions, and they contribute toward unlocking the hint button.
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