Today's Strands theme is "That can't be right", and it is as fun as it sounds. The board is packed with words you say when someone tells you something too wild to believe, from everyday dismissals to gloriously old-fashioned ones. Find the spangram down the middle first and the disbelief will spread from there.
Today's Strands puzzle details
- Date
- October 9, 2026
- Puzzle
- #950
- Theme words
- 5 + spangram
- Difficulty
- Medium
Spoiler warning: hints below are spoiler-safe. The answer is hidden at the bottom of this page behind a clear reveal button. Scroll carefully.
Play Today's Strands
Theme: That can't be right
Reveal by clicking a word below or a letter on the board.
Words (0 of 6 found)
Today's Strands hints
Climb the ladder from the gentlest nudge to the strongest hint. No peeking at the next clue until you've given the current one a real try.
ThemeGentle nudge
Today's theme is "That can't be right". Think of everything you say when someone tells you a story that sounds completely made up.
Spangram directionWarming up
The spangram runs straight down the middle of the board, touching the top and bottom edges. Trace a long vertical path through the center columns and you will feel it click.
Spangram lengthGetting warmer
The spangram is 12 letters long: a single everyday word for something too wild to believe. It is the word this whole theme is built around.
First lettersAlmost there
Theme words start with: HO, RU, DR, NO, BA. The spangram starts with UN.
Strong nudgeStrongest hint
Anchor on the two longest words first: one sits in the middle-left of the board and the other runs down the right side. Once those two are cleared, the shorter dismissals practically introduce themselves.
Today's Strands answer
Open only the groups you need. Each reveal stays hidden until you tap it.
Reveal today's answer
Spangram: UNBELIEVABLE. Theme words: HOOEY, RUBBISH, DRIVEL, NONSENSE, BALDERDASH.
What does today's Strands answer mean?
Reveal the meanings (contains spoilers)
The theme "That can't be right" collects words for dismissing nonsense: HOOEY, RUBBISH, DRIVEL, NONSENSE, and BALDERDASH all mean something untrue or not worth taking seriously. The spangram UNBELIEVABLE ties them together, running down the center of the board and touching the top and bottom edges. Once you read the board as one big eye-roll, every word falls into place.
How hard is today's Strands?
Difficulty: Medium
This board is friendlier than it looks. The theme is one big idea, so the moment the disbelief angle clicks, the words start suggesting themselves. The spangram is the key: a long vertical run down the middle that touches both the top and bottom edges, so sweep the center columns early. The longest theme word owns the right side of the board, which makes a great second target. If the theme lands fast this is an Easy solve; if not, hunt the edges and let the leftover letters talk.
What were the recent Strands answers?
Our answer archive is building. Recent answers will appear here daily.
How do you play Strands?
- Find hidden theme words in a 6x8 letter grid. Every word connects to the day's theme, and each letter on the board is used exactly once.
- Connect letters by tapping or dragging through adjacent letters. Letters link in any direction: up, down, sideways, or diagonally, and words can twist and turn.
- Find the spangram: the special word or phrase that describes the theme and stretches across the board, touching two opposite edges. It highlights in yellow.
- Stuck? Find any 4+ letter word, even one that isn't theme related. Every three of these earns you a hint that reveals letters of a theme word.
- The puzzle is complete when every letter is used and all theme words plus the spangram are found. There is no guess limit, so keep exploring.
What are the best Strands strategies?
- Chase the spangram first: it describes the theme and splits the grid, which makes the remaining words much easier to spot in the leftover regions.
- Read the theme literally, then loosely: some days it is direct, other days it is a pun or a phrase. Brainstorm related words before touching the board.
- Farm hints early: string together easy 4-letter words to earn hint tokens. A revealed theme word often cracks the puzzle open.
- Work the edges: the spangram touches two opposite sides, so scan the borders for long words that could stretch across.
- Watch for word shapes: theme words twist through the grid. If you spot a promising start, follow every adjacent path before giving up on it.
What is Strands?
Strands is NYT Games' twist on the classic word search, launched in beta in 2024 by the New York Times. Each daily puzzle hides theme words inside a 48-letter grid, plus a spangram that captures the day's theme.
Unlike a traditional word search, letters connect in any direction and every letter is used exactly once. The spangram always touches two opposite edges of the board.
The game has no fail state: unlimited guesses and a hint system that rewards finding non-theme words keep every puzzle solvable.
More daily puzzles
Today's WordleThe daily five-letter word puzzleGet hints →
NYT ConnectionsGroup 16 words into four themes.Get hints →
Spelling BeeBuild words from 7 letters around the center letterGet hints →
NYT PipsA domino-style logic puzzleGet hints →
QuordleSolve 4 words with one set of shared guessesGet hints →
OctordleSolve 8 words with one set of shared guessesGet hints →
Strategy guides
Frequently asked questions
What is the Strands spangram today?
The spangram stays hidden behind the reveal button above so we do not spoil your solve. As a nudge: it is 12 letters long, runs down the middle of the board touching the top and bottom edges, and it is the word for something too wild to believe.
How many words are in today's Strands?
There are 6 words total: 5 theme words plus the spangram. Every one of the 48 letters on the board is used exactly once, so there are no leftovers.
What is today's Strands theme?
The theme is "That can't be right". It gathers words for brushing off wild claims, from everyday dismissals to gloriously old-fashioned ones.
How do hints work in Strands?
Find any word of 4 or more letters, even if it is not theme related. Every three such words earns a hint token that reveals the letters of one theme word, in order, to get you unstuck.
What time does Strands reset?
Strands resets at midnight in your local timezone, like the other NYT games. A fresh 6x8 grid with a new theme appears every day.