Strands hint todayPuzzle #969 ·
The theme, the word count and the spangram's shape — then reveal one strand at a time.
No spoilers: no spangram and no theme word is on this page until you ask. Refreshes hourly, on New York time.
Today's Strands hints
The theme, the shape of the spangram, then one word at a time.
0 of 6 words revealed
Today's theme
Comedy club
NYT's clue for puzzle #969. It tells you the idea, not the words.
- Theme words
- 5
- Words to find
- 6
- Spangram
- 13 letters
The spangram
13 letters, from one edge of the board to the other. It names the theme.
Word 1
9 letters
Word 2
5 letters
Word 3
6 letters
Word 4
6 letters
Word 5
9 letters
Each word is independent. Open only the one that is blocking you.
How to read a Strands hint without giving up the grid
Start with the theme
Say the clue out loud. Theme words are short and literal; the spangram names the idea that links them.
Count the tiles
Each word length narrows the board. Scan for that many connected letters before you reveal anything.
Take one strand
The first letter or a single word is usually enough to unlock the rest. Open the whole answer only when you are stuck.
Strands hint FAQ
What is today's Strands hint?
This page shows the theme clue, how many theme words the puzzle has, how many letters the spangram uses and how long each word is. The spangram and the words themselves stay hidden until you press a reveal button.
What is a spangram in Strands?
The spangram is the one themed answer that runs from one edge of the board to the other. It names the connection between the shorter theme words, so it is usually the hardest strand to see.
Will this page spoil today's Strands?
No. When the page loads it prints no spangram and no theme word, only counts and the official clue. You can take the first letter of the spangram, the whole spangram, or one word at a time.
How many words are in Strands today?
The puzzle usually has four to seven theme words plus the spangram. This page reads the count from the live puzzle, so the number above is today’s real total, not an average.
When does this page update?
It refreshes every hour. The puzzle date follows New York time, where a new Strands appears at midnight ET, so the page always shows the puzzle for the current New York date.
Where can I play more word-search games?
Play Word Search Deluxe for a fresh grid, Boggle Rush for timed word finding, or browse the free word games hub for crosswords, anagrams and typing races that run in the browser without a download.
More than one grid?
Word searches, anagrams and typing races are one tap away.
Strands is a trademark of The New York Times Company. GamingLab is not affiliated with The New York Times. This page offers unofficial hint commentary for the daily word-search puzzle.