I tackled today's Strands with my morning coffee, which had gone lukewarm by the time I stopped taking the clue quite so literally. "Comedy club" sounds like an invitation to picture a tiny stage and a microphone, but I found it more helpful to let that first image loosen a little. No actual laughter from me before breakfast, although there was a satisfied little nod.
This is a lovely one for a slow start to the day. The clue gives you a familiar world to explore, without necessarily telling you how to organise it. If your first idea leads nowhere, give yourself permission to change tack rather than hunt harder.
This page covers NYT Strands #1157 for Wednesday, October 28, 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 Wednesday, October 28, 2026 is "Comedy club". There are 5 theme words to find plus the spangram, which always touches two opposite sides of the board.
Spoiler free hints
- The spangram has 13 letters and begins with the letter F.
- The shortest theme word has 5 letters, the longest has 9.
- The theme words start with these letters: B, F, I, S, S.
A stronger hint for each word
| Starts with | Length | First two letters |
|---|---|---|
| B | 9 letters | Bu... |
| F | 5 letters | Fa... |
| I | 6 letters | Im... |
| S | 6 letters | Sk... |
| S | 9 letters | Sl... |
Today's spangram
Last chance to look away. The spangram for Strands #1157 is FUNNYBUSINESS.
All NYT Strands answers for October 28, 2026
- BURLESQUE (9 letters)
- FARCE (5 letters)
- IMPROV (6 letters)
- SKETCH (6 letters)
- SLAPSTICK (9 letters)
Spangram: FUNNYBUSINESS. That is the full board solved.
How to get better at Strands
Try treating "Comedy club" as a category clue rather than a list of things inside a venue. Think about the different ways comedy can be performed, then test possible words against neighbouring letters instead of committing to a guess too early. Longer possibilities are worth checking, especially where a promising sequence bends around itself. Remember that letters can connect diagonally, but you cannot reuse a cell within one word. Once you have a confirmed answer, use its occupied cells to narrow the routes through the remaining board.
Frequently asked questions
What is the spangram in Strands today?
The spangram for Wednesday, October 28, 2026, puzzle #1157, is FUNNYBUSINESS. It spans the board from one side to the opposite side.
How many theme words are in today's Strands?
There are 5 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 #1157 for Wednesday, October 28, 2026, edited by Tracy Bennett, constructed by Christina Iverson.
- The New York Times, how to play Strands.
