I sat down with today's Strands over my morning coffee, fully intending to finish before the toast popped up. Naturally, I was still tracing letters when it did. The clue, "A breath of fresh air", sounds wonderfully inviting, though it left me weighing up a literal reading against something a little more figurative.
That's often my favourite part of this puzzle: the brief spell when several ideas seem equally plausible. If you're at that stage too, give yourself a moment before reaching for a hint. A familiar expression can send you looking in the wrong direction, and sometimes the simplest interpretation deserves another look.
This page covers NYT Strands #1126 for Saturday, September 26, 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 Saturday, September 26, 2026 is "A breath of fresh air". 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 10 letters and begins with the letter G.
- The shortest theme word has 4 letters, the longest has 7.
- The theme words start with these letters: B, C, F, G, P, W, Z.
A stronger hint for each word
| Starts with | Length | First two letters |
|---|---|---|
| B | 6 letters | Br... |
| C | 7 letters | Cu... |
| F | 6 letters | Fl... |
| G | 4 letters | Gu... |
| P | 4 letters | Pu... |
| W | 5 letters | Wh... |
| Z | 6 letters | Ze... |
Today's spangram
Last chance to look away. The spangram for Strands #1126 is GENTLEWIND.
All NYT Strands answers for September 26, 2026
- BREEZE (6 letters)
- CURRENT (7 letters)
- FLURRY (6 letters)
- GUST (4 letters)
- PUFF (4 letters)
- WHIFF (5 letters)
- ZEPHYR (6 letters)
Spangram: GENTLEWIND. That is the full board solved.
How to get better at Strands
Try taking the clue literally first, and brainstorm things you might notice outdoors rather than synonyms for feeling refreshed. Once you spot a likely word, check that its letters connect through neighbouring squares, including diagonals, without reusing a square. There are several short entries to find here, so don't dismiss a compact cluster while hunting for something longer. When you have a couple of confirmed finds, use their shared meaning to narrow your search. Leave the edge-to-edge connection until that pattern becomes clearer, then inspect the spaces between your solved paths.
Frequently asked questions
What is the spangram in Strands today?
The spangram for Saturday, September 26, 2026, puzzle #1126, is GENTLEWIND. 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 #1126 for Saturday, September 26, 2026, edited by Tracy Bennett, constructed by Tracy Bennett.
- The New York Times, how to play Strands.
