NYT Strands Answer Today (#953) – 12 Oct 2026 Solution & Hints
- About Today’s Strands
- Today’s Theme
- General Hints
- Spangram Length
- Spangram Orientation
- Spangram First & Last Letters
- First & Last Letters of All Words
- Spangram (Click to Reveal)
- Spangram Definition (Click to Reveal)
- Sample Words (Click to Reveal)
- Full Solution (Click to Reveal)
- Definitions of All Words (Click to Reveal)
About Today’s Strands
Puzzle #953 (published October 12, 2026). One special word — the Spangram — spans the grid and ties the theme together.
Today’s Theme
Theme: In a manner of speaking
General Hints
- Every entry today describes a particular style or register of talk, the words you’d reach for to describe how a group communicates, not what they’re saying.
- Think about how insiders, specialists, or regions each develop their own way of putting things; that flavor connects today’s grid.
- The spangram is a familiar saying about exactly this kind of expression, a figure of speech about figures of speech.
Spangram Length
The Spangram has 12 letters and is three words joined together in the grid.
Spangram Orientation
The Spangram runs horizontal, left to right across the board, starting near the bottom rows of the grid.
Spangram First & Last Letters
Begins with T and ends with E.
Pattern preview (length-obscured): T___E
Note: We always display first/last letters as X___Y with three underscores, regardless of true length.
First & Last Letters of All Words
- Word 1: D___T
- Word 2: J___N
- Word 3: L___O
- Word 4: P___E
- Word 5: V___R
Spangram preview: T___E
Spangram
Click to reveal today’s Spangram
TURN OF PHRASE
Spangram Definition
Click to reveal the definition of the Spangram
TURN OF PHRASE — An expression or wording, especially one used in a distinctive or memorable way.
Example: “She has such a clever turn of phrase that even her grocery lists sound poetic.”
Sample Words
Click to reveal two words from today’s solution
- JARGON
- LINGO
Full Solution
Click to reveal the complete answers
Theme: In a manner of speaking
Spangram: TURN OF PHRASE
All words:
- DIALECT
- JARGON
- LINGO
- PARLANCE
- VERNACULAR
- TURN OF PHRASE (Spangram)
Definitions of All Words
Click to reveal definitions of today’s words
- DIALECT — A form of a language specific to a particular region or social group, with its own distinct vocabulary and pronunciation.
- JARGON — Specialized vocabulary used by people in a particular profession or group that outsiders often find hard to follow.
- LINGO — An informal way of referring to the particular language or vocabulary used by a specific group of people.
- PARLANCE — The particular way of speaking or terminology associated with a certain group or profession.
- VERNACULAR — The everyday, informal language spoken by ordinary people in a place, as opposed to formal or literary language.
- TURN OF PHRASE — An expression or wording, especially one used in a distinctive or memorable way.
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