Strands · Hints and answers
Strands hints and answers for Friday, October 9, 2026
Friday's Strands board talks nonsense, literally: five theme words for foolish talk and ideas not worth believing, plus a 12-letter spangram that says so in one word. The NYT clue doubts the whole board.
Hints, in order
Hint 0 of 3Tap to show one hint at a time.
Hint 1 of 3
Think of the words for talk that is pure foolishness: the stuff you dismiss out of hand when you hear it.
Hint 2 of 3
Every theme word means nonsense: two everyday words for garbage talk, one old-fashioned word for humbug, and two shorter words for drivel.
Hint 3 of 3
The spangram is one 12-letter word meaning too extraordinary to be believed, built from UN- plus a word for capable of being believed.
Spangram and theme words
The spangram first, then all five theme words.
SPANGRAM
UNBELIEVABLE
BALDERDASHTheme word
DRIVELTheme word
HOOEYTheme word
NONSENSETheme word
RUBBISHTheme word
Next on the board
NYT Mini Crossword →
A 5x5 grid. Show one answer at a time, or open the full grid.