Today's NYT Strands is live for Tuesday, September 22, 2026 (Puzzle #933). Stuck on today's Strands? We've got progressive hints, from gentle nudges to full solutions, so you can solve at your own pace.
How Strands Works (New Players Start Here)
Strands hides themed words inside a 6x8 letter grid. Your mission: find every word connected to the day's theme. Letters link in any direction (horizontal, vertical, diagonal) and words can twist and turn. Every letter gets used exactly once.
The spangram is the key word or phrase that captures the theme and stretches across the entire board, touching opposite edges.
Need a boost? Find any 4+ letter word (even non-theme words) three times, and the game reveals a hint highlighting theme word letters.
Theme Decoder
Today's Theme Prompt: "Day and night shift"
What It Really Means
The hunt is for words that describe moving from one state, stage, or setup to another.
Think About...
- A handoff between operating setups.
- Steady movement through successive stages.
- Crossing from an old condition into a new one.
Spangram Clues
Orientation: Top to bottom down the board
Letter Count: 11 letters
Starting Zone: Row 1, letter 1
Progressive Spangram Hints
Hint 1 (Gentle): Think of a seasonal marker tied to the balance between daylight and darkness.
Hint 2 (Warmer): Look for the astronomical event in the latter half of the year when day and night are nearly equal.
Hint 3 (Almost There): First letter is F, last letter is X
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FALLEQUINOX
Word-by-Word Hints
Solve as many as you can before peeking. Each word includes escalating clues.
Word 1
Vague: A handoff that leaves a different setup in place.
Closer: Factories use this term for retooling a line between product runs.
Letter Clue: Starts with C, 10 letters total
Answer
CHANGEOVER
Word 2
Vague: An orderly movement through a sequence.
Closer: In music, this can describe a linked series of chords.
Letter Clue: Starts with P, 11 letters total
Answer
PROGRESSION
Word 3
Vague: A quick move from one option to another.
Closer: It can be flipped on a wall to control a light.
Letter Clue: Starts with S, 6 letters total
Answer
SWITCH
Word 4
Vague: The passage between one state and the next.
Closer: Editors use this term for a bridge between scenes or ideas.
Letter Clue: Starts with T, 10 letters total
Answer
TRANSITION
Full Answers
Spangram: FALLEQUINOX
Theme Words:
- CHANGEOVER
- PROGRESSION
- SWITCH
- TRANSITION
Puzzle Debrief
Difficulty Rating: Medium, because the four answers share closely related meanings while approaching the theme from different contexts.
Trickiest Word: CHANGEOVER is the trickiest word because its operational sense is less immediate than the everyday meanings of the other answers.
Our Take: FALL EQUINOX gives the theme a precise seasonal anchor, while CHANGEOVER, PROGRESSION, SWITCH, and TRANSITION explore different forms of movement from one condition to another. The list feels cohesive without becoming repetitive, and the spangram turns the day-and-night wording into a satisfying final connection.
