I opened today's Strands with my morning coffee, just as a neighbour set off past the window in a decidedly sensible waterproof. The clue, "Autumn walk in the woods", felt nicely timed. It immediately put me in the mood for a weekend ramble, although my actual plans involved a laptop and another slice of toast.
This is the sort of theme that sounds straightforward until you start deciding what belongs in it. I found it helped to pause before chasing every outdoorsy possibility. Picture the scene carefully, narrow your focus, and give those less obvious letter combinations a chance. There's a satisfying little shift when the clue starts to feel more specific.
This page covers NYT Strands #1182 for Friday, November 6, 2026. You will find the theme clue, a spoiler free hint, a stronger hint, the spangram and every theme word, in that order. Scroll slowly and stop where you like.
Today's Strands theme
The official clue for Friday, November 6, 2026 is "Autumn walk in the woods". There are 7 theme words to find plus the spangram, which always touches two opposite sides of the board.
Spoiler free hints
- The spangram has 11 letters and begins with the letter F.
- The shortest theme word has 4 letters, the longest has 8.
- The theme words start with these letters: A, B, H, L, M, P, T.
A stronger hint for each word
| Starts with | Length | First two letters |
|---|---|---|
| A | 5 letters | Ac... |
| B | 6 letters | Br... |
| H | 4 letters | Hu... |
| L | 6 letters | Le... |
| M | 4 letters | Mo... |
| P | 8 letters | Pi... |
| T | 4 letters | Tw... |
Today's spangram
Last chance to look away. The spangram for Strands #1182 is FORESTFLOOR.
All NYT Strands answers for November 6, 2026
- ACORN (5 letters)
- BRANCH (6 letters)
- HUSK (4 letters)
- LEAVES (6 letters)
- MOSS (4 letters)
- PINECONE (8 letters)
- TWIG (4 letters)
Spangram: FORESTFLOOR. That is the full board solved.
How to get better at Strands
Think about what you might notice looking down during the walk, rather than trying every word associated with the season. Start with compact possibilities, checking diagonal connections as well as horizontal and vertical ones. A valid path can bend sharply, so don't abandon a promising start just because it won't continue straight. Once you've found a theme entry, use its occupied squares to narrow the remaining routes. For the spangram, look for a phrase joining opposite edges that describes the shared setting, not simply the weather or time of year.
Frequently asked questions
What is the spangram in Strands today?
The spangram for Friday, November 6, 2026, puzzle #1182, is FORESTFLOOR. It spans the board from one side to the opposite side.
How many theme words are in today's Strands?
There are 7 theme words today, plus the spangram.
How do you earn hints in Strands?
Find any valid non theme word of at least four letters. Every three of those unlocks one hint, which highlights the letters of a theme word without ordering them for you.
What time does a new Strands puzzle appear?
A new puzzle goes live at midnight in your local time zone, so this page is updated every morning with the new board.
Sources
- NYT Games, Strands puzzle #1182 for Friday, November 6, 2026, edited by Tracy Bennett, constructed by Christina Iverson.
- The New York Times, how to play Strands.
