Strands hints: Oct 30, 2026
Revisit the NYT Strands puzzle from Oct 30, 2026 (2026-10-30) with the theme clue, deeper hints, the spangram, and the solved grid all in one place.
Puzzle #1166 · 2026-10-30
Step through the Strands hints
Theme clue: All charged up
6 theme words and one spangram. Reveal only the help you need.
Rows run from 1 to 8, top to bottom; columns from 1 to 6, left to right. A path may move to a neighbouring cell, including diagonally.
Layer 1 · Theme clue
All charged up
Layer 2 · Answer lengths and spangram direction
Theme answer lengths: 7, 11, 6, 5, 5, 5 letters.
The spangram has 9 letters. Connects the left and right edges.
Layer 3 · Where to start looking
Choose one word without revealing the others.
Theme word 1: show a starting point
Starts with C at row 5, column 3.
Theme word 2: show a starting point
Starts with E at row 4, column 1.
Theme word 3: show a starting point
Starts with E at row 7, column 4.
Theme word 4: show a starting point
Starts with J at row 1, column 2.
Theme word 5: show a starting point
Starts with P at row 6, column 4.
Theme word 6: show a starting point
Starts with S at row 8, column 3.
Layer 4 · Individual theme answers and paths
Theme word 1: reveal answer
CURRENT
Theme word 1: reveal path
(5, 3) → (5, 2) → (5, 1) → (6, 1) → (6, 2) → (7, 1) → (8, 1)
Theme word 2: reveal answer
ELECTRICITY
Theme word 2: reveal path
(4, 1) → (4, 2) → (4, 3) → (3, 3) → (3, 4) → (4, 4) → (4, 5) → (3, 5) → (3, 6) → (4, 6) → (5, 6)
Theme word 3: reveal answer
ENERGY
Theme word 3: reveal path
(7, 4) → (8, 4) → (8, 5) → (8, 6) → (7, 5) → (7, 6)
Theme word 4: reveal answer
JUICE
Theme word 4: reveal path
(1, 2) → (1, 3) → (1, 4) → (1, 5) → (1, 6)
Theme word 5: reveal answer
POWER
Theme word 5: reveal path
(6, 4) → (5, 4) → (5, 5) → (6, 5) → (6, 6)
Theme word 6: reveal answer
SPARK
Theme word 6: reveal path
(8, 3) → (8, 2) → (7, 2) → (7, 3) → (6, 3)
Layer 5 · Spangram help
Show the spangram’s starting point
9 letters. Starts with P at row 1, column 1.
Reveal the spangram
PLUGGEDIN
Reveal the spangram’s path
(1, 1) → (2, 1) → (3, 1) → (3, 2) → (2, 2) → (2, 3) → (2, 4) → (2, 5) → (2, 6)
Layer 6 · Solved grid and all answers
Blue cells = theme words. Gold cells = spangram.
Theme answers: CURRENT, ELECTRICITY, ENERGY, JUICE, POWER, SPARK. Spangram: PLUGGEDIN.
Theme clue
All charged up
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