Play today's Strands board
The same letter grid NYT shows. Drag across touching letters, or tap them one by one and tap the last letter again to check. Theme words turn blue and the spangram turns yellow. Hint outlines one word you haven't found. Nothing is saved, so your real game stays untouched.
NYT Strands hints today: #964
Today's official theme is "None of your beeswax!". If that alone doesn't help, work down the hints below.
Hints used: 0
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What's the theme in plain words?Gentle hint
Look for words that describe someone who can't help poking around in other people's private business, plus one sneaky thing they might do with their ears.
Was this hint -
How many words am I looking for?Gentle hint
There are 5 theme words plus the spangram.
Was this hint -
A nudge toward the spangramHelpful hint
Think of the label for a person who is always in everyone else's affairs, and picture a body that is constantly occupied with them.
Was this hint -
How do the theme words start?Helpful hint
The theme words start with: E, I, N, P, S.
Was this hint -
How long is the spangram, and which way does it run?Strong hint
The spangram has 8 letters and runs from left to right.
Was this hint
Today's puzzle in numbers
- Theme words
- 5
- Recent average
- 5.7
- Spangram length
- 8 letters
- Longest theme word
- 13 letters
Strands answers today: #964
Spoiler zone. Below are the spangram and all theme words for October 23, 2026.
Reveal one word at a time
Only want a foothold? Open one word, find it on the board, then go back and try for the rest. Shorter words come first because they give away the least.
Theme word 1 (4 letters)
NOSY. It starts in row 2, column 1, counting from the top left.
Theme word 2 (6 letters)
PRYING. It starts in row 6, column 1, counting from the top left.
Theme word 3 (6 letters)
SNOOPY. It starts in row 7, column 2, counting from the top left.
Theme word 4 (11 letters)
INQUISITIVE. It starts in row 6, column 4, counting from the top left.
Theme word 5 (13 letters)
EAVESDROPPING. It starts in row 1, column 2, counting from the top left.
The spangram (8 letters)
BUSYBODY. It starts in row 1, column 1, counting from the top left.
Everything at once
Show every theme word and the solved board
Spangram: BUSYBODY
Theme words: EAVESDROPPING, INQUISITIVE, NOSY, PRYING, SNOOPY
The clue 'None of your beeswax!' is what you say to someone who is sticking their nose where it doesn't belong. The answers describe that kind of person: a BUSYBODY who is NOSY, PRYING, SNOOPY and INQUISITIVE, and who might practice EAVESDROPPING.
Recent Strands puzzles
| Date | Puzzle | Theme |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 22 | #963 | Any relation? |
| Oct 21 | #962 | On a higher level |
| Oct 20 | #961 | 🦆🦆 ... 🪿 |
| Oct 19 | #960 | It's all Greek to me |
| Oct 18 | #959 | Fast fashion |
| Oct 17 | #958 | Quite the crush |
| Oct 16 | #957 | Just a little bit |
Yesterday's Strands answer
The spangram for #963 was FAMILYTIES, for the theme "Any relation?".
How to play Strands
Strands is a themed word search on a board of 48 letters. Every letter belongs to exactly one answer, and one special answer, the spangram, describes the theme and touches two opposite sides of the board.
- Read the theme clue. The clue at the top hints at what the hidden words have in common. It is often a pun.
- Drag to connect letters. Words can bend in any direction, including diagonally, but each letter is used once.
- Earn hints. Every three non-theme words you find (four letters or longer) earn a hint that highlights one theme word.
- Find the spangram. It runs from one side of the board to the opposite side and names the theme.
What the colours mean
- ABlue: A theme word you found.
- AYellow: The spangram.
Strands tips that actually help
- Start at the edges and corners. Letters there have fewer neighbours, so the words through them are easier to trace.
- Look for uncommon letters like Q, X, Z or J. They narrow down which words can pass through them.
- If the theme makes no sense, find any three normal words to earn a hint, then work backwards from the highlighted word.
- The spangram is often two or more words joined together. Look for long paths that cross the whole board.
Other puzzles today
Strands questions
What is today's Strands spangram?
Tap "Show the spangram" in the Strands #964 answers section above.
What is a spangram in Strands?
The spangram is a word or phrase that describes the theme and touches two opposite sides of the board.
How do Strands hints work in the game?
Finding three non-theme words of four letters or more earns a hint, which highlights the letters of one theme word.
When does a new Strands puzzle come out?
A new puzzle is released every day at midnight in your local time zone.
How many words are in a Strands puzzle?
Usually six to eight theme words plus the spangram, and together they use all 48 letters.
Can Strands words go diagonally?
Yes. Words can move in any of eight directions, and they can bend and change direction.
What happens if I find a word that is not a theme word?
It counts toward a hint. Every three non-theme words of four or more letters fill the hint meter.
Is Strands free?
Yes. Strands is free to play on the New York Times website and app.