Past puzzleNov 1, 2026Puzzle #1168

Strands hints: Nov 1, 2026

Revisit the NYT Strands puzzle from Nov 1, 2026 (2026-11-01) with the theme clue, deeper hints, the spangram, and the solved grid all in one place.

Puzzle #1168 · 2026-11-01

Step through the Strands hints

Theme clue: For the rest of the day

7 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

For the rest of the day

Layer 2 · Answer lengths and spangram direction

Theme answer lengths: 6, 4, 6, 6, 5, 7, 6 letters.

The spangram has 8 letters. Connects the top and bottom 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 1, column 3.

Theme word 2: show a starting point

Starts with D at row 7, column 2.

Theme word 3: show a starting point

Starts with D at row 6, column 4.

Theme word 4: show a starting point

Starts with S at row 4, column 6.

Theme word 5: show a starting point

Starts with S at row 1, column 1.

Theme word 6: show a starting point

Starts with S at row 7, column 3.

Theme word 7: show a starting point

Starts with S at row 1, column 5.

Layer 4 · Individual theme answers and paths
Theme word 1: reveal answer

CATNAP

Theme word 1: reveal path

(1, 3) → (1, 4) → (2, 4) → (3, 4) → (4, 4) → (3, 3)

Theme word 2: reveal answer

DOZE

Theme word 2: reveal path

(7, 2) → (8, 2) → (8, 1) → (7, 1)

Theme word 3: reveal answer

DROWSE

Theme word 3: reveal path

(6, 4) → (7, 5) → (8, 4) → (8, 5) → (8, 6) → (7, 6)

Theme word 4: reveal answer

SIESTA

Theme word 4: reveal path

(4, 6) → (4, 5) → (5, 5) → (6, 5) → (6, 6) → (5, 6)

Theme word 5: reveal answer

SLEEP

Theme word 5: reveal path

(1, 1) → (2, 2) → (2, 1) → (3, 1) → (4, 1)

Theme word 6: reveal answer

SLUMBER

Theme word 6: reveal path

(7, 3) → (6, 2) → (6, 1) → (5, 1) → (5, 2) → (5, 3) → (4, 2)

Theme word 7: reveal answer

SNOOZE

Theme word 7: reveal path

(1, 5) → (2, 5) → (3, 5) → (3, 6) → (2, 6) → (1, 6)

Layer 5 · Spangram help
Show the spangram’s starting point

8 letters. Starts with Z at row 1, column 2.

Reveal the spangram

ZZZZZZZZ

Reveal the spangram’s path

(1, 2) → (2, 3) → (3, 2) → (4, 3) → (5, 4) → (6, 3) → (7, 4) → (8, 3)

Layer 6 · Solved grid and all answers

Blue cells = theme words. Gold cells = spangram.

Theme answers: CATNAP, DOZE, DROWSE, SIESTA, SLEEP, SLUMBER, SNOOZE. Spangram: ZZZZZZZZ.

Theme clue

For the rest of the day

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