New Delhi, July 5 -- every strand word in Sunday's grid is a category of dog developed specifically to assist hunters in the field.

If you want to work through the grid yourself before seeing the full solution, three hints are below. Skip past them for the complete answer.

Hints for NYT Strands #854

Hint 1: Every theme word in the grid is a broad category of domestic dog.

Hint 2: These dogs were not bred for companionship or show. They were bred to work alongside hunters in the field, each with a distinct role in the hunt.

Hint 3: The spangram is two words and names precisely what all five strand word categories have in common.

Still stuck? One more: the spangram always spans the full board from one edge to the other. If you can nam...