Play Strands #942
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.
Strands #942 hints
Today's official theme is "Things fall apart". 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 verbs describing what happens when something loses its shape or stops holding together, from a sudden snap to a slow wearing away.
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How many words am I looking for?Gentle hint
There are 5 theme words plus the spangram.
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A nudge toward the spangramHelpful hint
Think of the sad state of a broken item that no fixer could ever save, and remember it runs across the whole board in two pieces.
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How do the theme words start?Helpful hint
The theme words start with: B, C, C, D, F.
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How long is the spangram, and which way does it run?Strong hint
The spangram has 12 letters and runs from right to left.
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Strands #942 in numbers
- Theme words
- 5
- Recent average
- 5.7
- Spangram length
- 12 letters
- Longest theme word
- 8 letters
Strands #942 answers
Spoiler zone. Below are the spangram and all theme words for October 1, 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 (5 letters)
BREAK. It starts in row 1, column 5, counting from the top left.
Theme word 2 (7 letters)
CRUMBLE. It starts in row 1, column 3, counting from the top left.
Theme word 3 (8 letters)
COLLAPSE. It starts in row 4, column 3, counting from the top left.
Theme word 4 (8 letters)
DISSOLVE. It starts in row 8, column 2, counting from the top left.
Theme word 5 (8 letters)
FRAGMENT. It starts in row 5, column 1, counting from the top left.
The spangram (12 letters)
BEYONDREPAIR. It starts in row 3, column 2, counting from the top left.
Everything at once
Show every theme word and the solved board
Spangram: BEYONDREPAIR
Theme words: BREAK, COLLAPSE, CRUMBLE, DISSOLVE, FRAGMENT
The clue 'Things fall apart' points to different ways an object or structure can come undone, such as BREAK, COLLAPSE, CRUMBLE, DISSOLVE, and FRAGMENT. The spangram BEYONDREPAIR describes the final result of all that falling apart: damage too severe to fix.
Recent Strands puzzles
| Date | Puzzle | Theme |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 30 | #941 | An instrumental destination |
| Sep 29 | #940 | Have a heart |
| Sep 28 | #939 | A form of art |
| Sep 27 | #938 | It's skin deep |
| Sep 26 | #937 | A breath of fresh air |
| Sep 25 | #936 | 1✖️1, etc ... |
| Sep 24 | #935 | Just outside your door |
About Strands
Strands is a daily New York Times word search with a theme. Every letter on the six-by-eight board belongs to an answer, and one answer, the spangram, names the theme and stretches between opposite sides of the board. Past puzzles are a good way to learn how the themed clues are usually worded.
Other puzzles on Oct 1
Strands #942 questions
What was the Strands spangram on October 1, 2026?
The spangram for Strands #942 was BEYONDREPAIR, for the theme "Things fall apart".
What were the Strands theme words on October 1, 2026?
BREAK, COLLAPSE, CRUMBLE, DISSOLVE, FRAGMENT, plus the spangram BEYONDREPAIR.
What did the Strands #942 clue mean?
The clue 'Things fall apart' points to different ways an object or structure can come undone, such as BREAK, COLLAPSE, CRUMBLE, DISSOLVE, and FRAGMENT. The spangram BEYONDREPAIR describes the final result of all that falling apart: damage too severe to fix.