Today's NYT Strands puzzle is all about Saint Patrick's Day, landing perfectly on the holiday itself. It's a festive, colour-themed puzzle — once you spot the connection, the answers snap into place quickly. Here are all the hints and the full answer list for March 17, 2026.
What Is NYT Strands?
NYT Strands is the New York Times' elevated word-search game. Find themed words by connecting letters in any direction — up, down, left, right, or diagonally — and every letter in the grid must be used. Each puzzle has a spangram: a word or phrase that captures the day's theme and spans the entire grid from one side to the other.
Today's Theme Hint
The hint for March 17, 2026 is: "Happy Saint Patrick's Day!"
The words are all related to the colour green. Each answer is a word that commonly pairs with "green" — think of it as a "___ green" or "green ___" word association puzzle.
Spangram Hint
- Horizontal or vertical? Horizontal
NYT Strands Spangram Answer — March 17, 2026
The spangram for today is: GOGREEN
It spans the grid horizontally, tying together the Saint Patrick's Day theme and the shared colour that connects every answer in today's puzzle.
NYT Strands Word List — March 17, 2026
All answers for today's puzzle (each word can follow or precede "green"):
- LIGHT
- FLAG
- ROOM
- GODDESS
- BERET
- PEPPER
- PARTY
- THUMB
Full Puzzle Answers Summary
Today's theme revolves around the colour green, with the spangram GOGREEN setting the tone for this Saint Patrick's Day puzzle. Each answer is a word that pairs with "green": a THUMB is what a skilled gardener has, a ROOM is a backstage waiting area, and a BERET is the distinctive military or fashion cap often associated with the French. PEPPER, FLAG, LIGHT, GODDESS, and PARTY complete the set — all instantly recognisable once you see that "green" is the hidden connector. The misdirection here is real: words like GODDESS and PARTY don't immediately scream "green," which makes this one trickier than the holiday theme might suggest.
For yesterday's puzzle, see "A math teacher's favorite dessert." March 14, 2026 NYT Strands hints and answers. You can also browse our archive with the "Mountain band." March 13, 2026 NYT Strands answers.