I had one hand wrapped around my morning coffee and the other hovering over the grid when today's Strands clue, "Changing course", caught my eye. My first thought was of taking a different route to work, which says rather a lot about how often my usual bus gets stuck in traffic. But this is the sort of clue that rewards a little less literal thinking.
I found it helpful to sit with the phrase for a moment rather than immediately chase letters. There is a pleasingly everyday feel to today's puzzle, even if its wording leaves you with several possible starting points. Let your first idea be a possibility, not a promise.
This page covers NYT Strands #1138 for Tuesday, October 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 Tuesday, October 6, 2026 is "Changing course". 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 16 letters and begins with the letter T.
- The shortest theme word has 4 letters, the longest has 9.
- The theme words start with these letters: B, F, O, R, U.
A stronger hint for each word
| Starts with | Length | First two letters |
|---|---|---|
| B | 9 letters | Ba... |
| F | 4 letters | Fl... |
| O | 8 letters | Ov... |
| R | 7 letters | Re... |
| U | 4 letters | Un... |
Today's spangram
Last chance to look away. The spangram for Strands #1138 is THEOLDSWITCHEROO.
All NYT Strands answers for October 6, 2026
- BACKPEDAL (9 letters)
- FLIP (4 letters)
- OVERTURN (8 letters)
- REVERSE (7 letters)
- UNDO (4 letters)
Spangram: THEOLDSWITCHEROO. That is the full board solved.
How to get better at Strands
Think about the different situations in which someone might change course, rather than restricting yourself to travel or directions. Test possible meanings against neighbouring letters, remembering that paths can bend and move diagonally, but cannot reuse a cell within the same word. If you find one convincing theme entry, use its meaning to narrow your search for related actions. Save the spangram hunt until you have a clearer sense of that connection, then look for a longer path linking opposite edges of the board.
Frequently asked questions
What is the spangram in Strands today?
The spangram for Tuesday, October 6, 2026, puzzle #1138, is THEOLDSWITCHEROO. 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 #1138 for Tuesday, October 6, 2026, edited by Tracy Bennett, constructed by Christina Iverson.
- The New York Times, how to play Strands.
