AAH7!
October 17, 2026#958archive

NYT Strands — October 17, 2026

Looking for today's NYT Strands? →

Hints — one at a time

Hint 1 of 5

Today's grid is full of nervous reactions you might have around someone you like.

Hint 2 of 5

Every non-spangram word describes an awkward or giddy physical response to attraction.

Hint 3 of 5

One entry is talking too fast and incoherently; another is turning red in the cheeks.

Hint 4 of 5

The spangram describes the giddy experience of developing strong romantic feelings.

Hint 5 of 5

Look for BABBLE, BLUSH, FIDGET, GIGGLE, PERSPIRE and STUMBLE, all spanned by FALLINLOVE.

The answer — spoilers!

Reveal the full answer

Theme

Quite the crush

Spangram

FALLINLOVE

Theme words

BABBLE · BLUSH · FIDGET · GIGGLE · PERSPIRE · STUMBLE

This puzzle by the numbers

Spangram length
10 letters
Theme words to find
6

Counted from our own archive of NYT Strands answers — not published anywhere else.

A tall Strands-style board six tiles wide, mostly blank, with two highlighted rows: a pink one spelling FLOWER right across the board and a shorter amber one spelling ROSE
On the Strands board the theme word and the shorter answers are traced straight through the letters. Example board, not today’s puzzle.