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NYT Publishes Hard Strands Puzzle #795, Theme “Go Right Ahead”

5/8/2026

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Summary

Story summary

The New York Times released Strands puzzle #795 on May 7, 2026, in the United States, with the theme hinted as “Go right ahead.”
The six non-spangram answers—BLESS, APPROVE, ALLOW, LICENSE, PERMIT and SANCTION—accompanied a spangram that formed GIVETHENOD and ran from the bottom-row fourth column to the top-row fifth column.
The author rated the puzzle “Hard” and achieved a perfect score.

History

Historical Context

The New York Times’ crossword, launched in 1942, set a tradition of inventive wordplay that Will Shortz expanded with a themed spangram in 1978. Building on that legacy, Strands puzzle #795 debuted on May 7 2026, echoing the spangram format as NYT Games, serving over 10 million daily players in 2024, sustains subscriber engagement.

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Story summary

The New York Times released Strands puzzle #795 on May 7, 2026, in the United States, with the theme hinted as “Go right ahead.”
The six non-spangram answers—BLESS, APPROVE, ALLOW, LICENSE, PERMIT and SANCTION—accompanied a spangram that formed GIVETHENOD and ran from the bottom-row fourth column to the top-row fifth column.
The author rated the puzzle “Hard” and achieved a perfect score.

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