Puzzle Overview

Here’s your NYT Strands hint for today, plus the spangram and all of today’s Strands answers for puzzle No. 969 on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026.

Puzzle Overview

Today’s Strands theme is “Comedy club.”

Puzzle Overview

And here’s a hint: Who’s on first?

Strategy and Clues

Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints, but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:

Strategy and Clues

• STICK, STICKS, SLAP, SPAKS, RONE, ROVE, ROVES, FUNNY

Answers for today’s Strands puzzle

These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you have all of them, every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers:

• SLAPSTICK, FARCE, IMPROV, SKETCH, BURLESQUE

The completed NYT Strands puzzle for Oct. 28, 2026.

Today’s Strands spangram

Today’s Strands spangram is FUNNYBUSINESS. To find it, start with the F that’s five letters to the left on the bottom row, and wind up.