Complete guide with hints, spangram, and all theme words for Jul 01's puzzle
Strands Theme of Jul 01 is:
This word describes a visible indicator or an omen that reveals the truth about a situation.
Reveal letter by letter or uncover a full solution

Today's theme 'Not a red herring' plays on a classic detective trope. It suggests that every word you find is a genuine piece of the puzzle rather than a distraction.
Spoiler Warning
Strands answer for Not a red herring are revealed below!
Below is the complete solution for Today's Strands. Enjoy the game!

Strands is a free daily word puzzle from The New York Times. Each day, you get a theme and a letter grid where you must find hidden words. Like Wordle and Connections, it refreshes at midnight with a new puzzle.
You get a 6×8 grid of letters. Find all theme words plus the "spangram" that spans the grid and reveals the theme. Connect letters horizontally, vertically, or diagonally to form words. Find 3 non-theme words to unlock a hint.
This theme suggests you are looking for things that actually point toward a conclusion rather than misleading you. It focuses on the elements that help solve a mystery or identify a situation, so think about professional investigation terms. Check out the full Strands Hint below for more details.
This puzzle uses quite a few formal and academic synonyms, which might make it trickier than the average daily grid. If you are stuck on the longer words, try looking for common investigative terminology to gain momentum. Check out the full Strands Hint below for more details.
Focus on finding shorter synonyms for 'suggestion' or 'proof' first to open up the board for the longer spangram. The vocabulary today is very cohesive, so once you find one word related to discovery, the others should follow. Check out the full Strands Hint below for more details.
Today’s spangram is quite long and stretches across the grid, acting as a bridge between the various thematic words. It highlights the main concept of what these specific indicators represent when viewed together. Check out the full Strands Hint below for more details.