NYT Strands · Puzzle #742 · March 15, 2026
NYT Strands #742 Answer Today — March 15, 2026
🏆 Theme: “Best of all”
All the hints, word reveals, and a full spoiler for today’s Strands — including the Spangram. No answers visible until you choose to reveal them.
Play NYT StrandsAt a Glance
#742
Puzzle Number
6 Strands
Theme Words
1 Spangram
Special Word
Film Awards
Category
Why This Theme?
“Best of all” — Academy Award Categories
The theme “Best of all” is a clever double meaning — it sounds like a general superlative, but it actually refers to the word “Best” as used in Academy Award category names: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Song, and Best Sound. Every theme word today is the second half of an Oscar category beginning with “Best.” The Spangram is the awards ceremony itself.
Today’s Spangram — Click to Reveal
The Spangram is a special word or phrase that spans the entire board and captures the theme. Click the box to reveal today’s Spangram.
✦ Spangram · Puzzle #742
ACADEMY AWARD
Click anywhere on this box to reveal
The Spangram stretches from one edge of the grid to the other — it is the key to cracking the theme
Strand Words — Click Each Tile to Reveal
Today’s puzzle has 6 theme words — all second halves of “Best ___” Oscar categories. Click each tile to reveal the word.
Word 1
DIRECTOR
tap to reveal
Word 2
SOUND
tap to reveal
Word 3
ACTOR
tap to reveal
Word 4
PICTURE
tap to reveal
Word 5
SONG
tap to reveal
Word 6
ACTRESS
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0 / 6 words revealed
✓ All words revealed — scroll down for the full breakdown
Progressive Theme Hints — No Spoilers
01
Today’s theme revolves around a single prestigious word that precedes each answer — a word meaning superior, highest-ranked, or finest. When that word is placed before each strand word, it forms the name of a famous award category in the film industry.
Category
02
All 6 strand words are things you would find at a major film awards ceremony — specifically the categories where trophies are handed out. Think about the major roles, crafts, and elements that make up a motion picture.
Connection
03
Some of the words refer to people involved in making a film — one who leads the production creatively, and two who perform on screen (one male, one female). The other three words refer to elements of the film itself rather than the people who make it.
Structure
04
One of the 6 words is just four letters long — it’s a musical element. Another is only five letters and refers to an audio element of filmmaking. Both are among the shorter, less expected Strands answers hidden in the grid.
Word Clue
05
The Spangram is a two-word phrase — the name of the specific film awards event that hands out every one of today’s categories. It’s held annually in Los Angeles and is one of the most watched television events in the world.
Spangram
The Six “Best ___” Categories
Best Picture
The top Oscar — awarded to the producers of the year’s finest film. The most prestigious prize of the entire ceremony.
Best Director
Awarded to the filmmaker who guided the overall creative vision of the best-directed film of the year.
Best Actor / Actress
The two leading performance awards — one for a male lead and one for a female lead in a feature film.
Best Song
Awarded to an original song written specifically for a motion picture — one of the most memorable Oscar moments each year.
Best Sound
Awarded for outstanding achievement in sound mixing and editing — a technical category often dominated by action or war films.
The Spangram
The ceremony and award itself — the two-word name that precedes every category listed above when printed on the official trophy.
All Answers Explained
ACADEMY AWARD
The Spangram — spans the full grid. The Academy Awards (also known as the Oscars) are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Every strand word today completes a category: “Academy Award for Best ___.”
Spangram
PICTURE
Best Picture — the highest honour at the Oscars, awarded to the producers of the year’s outstanding film. Winners include Oppenheimer (2024), Everything Everywhere All at Once (2023), and Parasite (2020).
Strand
DIRECTOR
Best Director — awarded for outstanding directorial achievement. The category often — but not always — goes to the director of the Best Picture winner. Past winners include Christopher Nolan, Steven Spielberg, and Kathryn Bigelow.
Strand
ACTOR
Best Actor — awarded to the lead male performer in a feature film. One of the four acting categories alongside Actress, Supporting Actor, and Supporting Actress. Typically generates some of the most memorable Oscar speeches.
Strand
ACTRESS
Best Actress — awarded to the lead female performer in a feature film. A counterpart to Best Actor, this category has a rich history of iconic performances celebrated each awards season.
Strand
SONG
Best Original Song — awarded to a song written specifically for a film. Famous winners have included “Let It Go,” “Skyfall,” and “Streets of Philadelphia.” Often performed live during the ceremony — one of the most watched moments of the night.
Strand
SOUND
Best Sound — a technical Oscar awarded for outstanding achievement in sound mixing and sound editing. Action, war, and musical films frequently dominate this category. Historically one of the trickier Strands answers due to its shorter length.
Strand
Full Answer Reveal
DIRECTOR
SOUND
ACTOR
PICTURE
SONG
ACTRESS
All 6 strand words complete the phrase “Academy Award for Best ___” — the formal name of each Oscar category. The theme “Best of all” cleverly doubles as a general superlative and a direct reference to the word “Best” that precedes every category. The Spangram ACADEMY AWARD spans the full grid, anchoring the puzzle in the world of cinema’s most prestigious night.
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