New York Times Strands puzzle reveals 'Navy Ranks' spangram on July 23, 2026

The New York Times Strands word‑search game posted daily puzzles for July 22‑23 2026. On July 22 (game #871) the theme was phrased “WHAT IS …”, with the spangram solved as INJEOPARDY and answer words including QUESTION, BUZZER, BOARD, CATEGORY, ANSWER and WAGER. On July 23 (game #872) the theme “Hail to the chief petty officer” produced the spangram NAVY RANKS, and solvers identified military titles such as ADMIRAL, LIEUTENANT, COMMANDER, ENSIGN, RECRUIT and others. Various online sources posted the full answer lists, hints and brief explanations of the game mechanics, confirming the same two consecutive puzzles and their solutions.