NYT Strands hints, answers for July 20, 2026 - Mashable

What the report says

Mashable published its daily guide for the New York Times’ Strands puzzle for July 20, 2026, giving players hints and the full solution set for that day’s game. The article framed the puzzle around the clue “Small talk,” explaining that the answers were connected by the idea of small size.

According to Mashable, the day’s spangram — the theme phrase that stretches across the grid — was “Itsy Bitsy,” and it ran horizontally. The listed answers were “Microscopic,” “Little,” “Tiny,” “Minuscule,” and “Miniature,” along with the spangram itself. Mashable also described the theme more directly as words used to describe small things.

The guide included a brief explanation of how Strands works for readers who may be newer to the New York Times game. Unlike a standard word search, Strands lets players build words through connected letters in multiple directions, including diagonals, and answers may bend into unusual shapes. Each letter in the grid is used, and the spangram is intended to capture the day’s overall theme while spanning the board.

The item matters mainly for puzzle players looking for help at different levels, from a light nudge to the complete answer list. Mashable positioned the post as part of its regular games coverage, alongside references to other daily puzzle guides such as Wordle and its broader games hub.