NYT Strands for 15 October 2026 has the theme “Sailor’s guide”. There are six theme words and one spangram to find.
15 October 2026 NYT Strands #956 Theme: “Sailor’s guide”
The board has 8 rows and 6 columns, and every letter belongs to one of the six theme words or the spangram.
15 October 2026 NYT Strands: Hints
Open the hints one at a time. Each hint gives away more than the one before it.
Hint 1 · literal reading
Think of something that helps sailors navigate.
Hint 2 · parts and features
Look for features and a signal associated with the same structure.
Hint 3 · first letters
The theme words start with B, D, G, L, S and T.
Hint 4 · spangram route
The spangram starts on the top edge of the board and ends on the bottom edge.
Hint 5 · spangram shape and meaning
The spangram is one word of 10 letters. It means a structure that sends a visible signal to guide ships.
Three words that earn a hint
These three words are valid on today’s board and are not theme words: THEN, WORLD and GREAT. Entering three such words earns one hint in the game.
15 October 2026 NYT Strands: Answers
The six theme words and the spangram are folded below. Open them one at a time.
First two letters of each theme word
The theme words start with BE, DO, GA, LA, ST and TO.
Today’s six theme words
- Beacon
- Dome
- Gallery
- Lantern
- Staircase
- Tower
Spangram
The spangram names the theme and runs from one side of the board to the opposite side.
Spangram letter count
The spangram has 10 letters.
First and last spangram letters
The spangram starts with L and ends with E.
Today’s spangram
LIGHTHOUSE
A lighthouse uses a visible signal to guide ships. The theme words name its parts, features, and signal.
Reveal the board one word at a time
Each fold below adds one word to the board, so you can stop after any word. The last fold adds the spangram.
Word 1 of 7 on the board
Beacon
Word 2 of 7 on the board
Dome
Word 3 of 7 on the board
Gallery
Word 4 of 7 on the board
Lantern
Word 5 of 7 on the board
Staircase
Word 6 of 7 on the board
Tower
Word 7 of 7 on the board
LIGHTHOUSE
Yesterday’s Strands answer for 14 October 2026
Yesterday’s theme was “Folk & fairy tale twosomes”. The theme words were Beast, Beauty, Frog, Hare, Princess and Tortoise, and the spangram was ONCEUPONATIME.
More Strands: Yesterday’s puzzle · Play Strands on The New York Times
Also today: Wordle · Connections · Pips · Phrazle · Quordle · Keyword · Colordle · Unwordle · Hurdle · NYT Crossword · NYT Mini · NYT Midi · Jumble · Spelling Bee · Letter Boxed · Parseword · Poeltl
Earlier days: 14 Oct · 13 Oct · 12 Oct · 11 Oct · 10 Oct · 9 Oct · 8 Oct
Questions about Strands
When does Strands change to a new puzzle?
A new puzzle arrives at midnight in the player’s own time zone.
How many tries does a player get in Strands?
There is no limit on guesses, and the game cannot be lost.
Where can a person play Strands?
Play on The New York Times Games site or in the NYT Games app: Strands.
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