NYT Strands Answer Today (#956) – 15 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 #956 (published October 15, 2026). One special word — the Spangram — spans the grid and ties the theme together.
Today’s Theme
Theme: Sailor’s guide
General Hints
- Something coastal that helps guide ships safely through the dark.
- Picture a tall structure built to warn and welcome sailors at once.
- This puzzle’s theme points to a famous maritime landmark, not the vessels themselves.
Spangram Length
The Spangram has 10 letters and is one word.
Spangram Orientation
The Spangram runs vertically, entering at the top of the grid and exiting at the bottom, drifting slightly across columns along the way rather than sitting in a single straight line.
Spangram First & Last Letters
Begins with L and ends with E.
Pattern preview (length-obscured): L___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: B___N
- WORD 2: D___E
- WORD 3: G___Y
- WORD 4: L___N
- WORD 5: S___E
- WORD 6: T___R
Spangram preview: L___E
Spangram
Click to reveal today’s Spangram
LIGHTHOUSE
Spangram Definition
Click to reveal the definition of the Spangram
LIGHTHOUSE — A tower built along a coastline that shines a powerful light to warn ships of danger and help them navigate.
Example: “From the cliff, we could just make out the lighthouse blinking its warning through the fog.”
Sample Words
Click to reveal two words from today’s solution
- BEACON
- LANTERN
Full Solution
Click to reveal the complete answers
Theme: Sailor’s guide
Spangram: LIGHTHOUSE
All words:
- BEACON
- DOME
- GALLERY
- LANTERN
- STAIRCASE
- TOWER
- LIGHTHOUSE (Spangram)
Definitions of All Words
Click to reveal definitions of today’s words
- BEACON — A light or signal fire set up in a prominent place to guide or warn travelers.
- DOME — A rounded, often hemispherical roof or ceiling.
- GALLERY — A walkway or platform, often with a railing, that runs around or along the outside of a structure.
- LANTERN — A portable or fixed case that holds and protects a light source.
- STAIRCASE — A connected series of steps that lets people move between different levels of a building.
- TOWER — A tall, narrow structure that rises well above the buildings or land around it.
- LIGHTHOUSE — A tower built along a coastline that shines a powerful light to warn ships of danger and help them navigate.
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