August 20, 2026#900archive
NYT Strands — August 20, 2026
Hints — one at a time
Hint 1 of 5
Today's grid is full of glowing compliments, but each one has been cut in half.
Hint 2 of 5
Every non-spangram word is one half of a two-word phrase praising something as the best of its kind.
Hint 3 of 5
Pair them up and you'll get things like an insect's leg joint paired with a stinging pollinator, or sleepwear paired with a feline.
Hint 4 of 5
The spangram is the phrase you'd say right before giving any of these compliments.
Hint 5 of 5
Look for BEES, BEST, CATS, GOLD, KNEES, PAJAMAS, STANDARD and VERY, all spanned by YOURETHE.
The answer — spoilers!
Reveal the full answer
Split superlatives
YOURETHE
BEES · BEST · CATS · GOLD · KNEES · PAJAMAS · STANDARD · VERY
This puzzle by the numbers
- 8 letters
- 8
Counted from our own archive of NYT Strands answers — not published anywhere else.
