The NYT Strands puzzle for September 23, 2026, presents a linguistic challenge centered on the passage of time. Puzzle #934 features the official theme “Practically paleolithic,” which points toward vocabulary describing things that are extremely old or outdated.
If you are working through today’s grid, the letter count confirms a standard 48-letter layout. This means every letter in the 6×8 grid is utilized once the five theme words and the 12-letter spangram are correctly identified.
Today’s Strands Theme Hints
The theme “Practically paleolithic” suggests a focus on history and antiquity. To find the words, think about adjectives used to describe objects, eras, or ideas that have long since passed their prime.
- Broad Hint: Every word in the puzzle is a synonym for “old.”
- Secondary Hint: Think of terms used by historians or archaeologists to categorize the distant past.
- Thematic Hint: An additional clue provided for this puzzle is “Nothing new here.”
Spangram Hint
The spangram for today is a 12-letter phrase that stretches across the board. It is a common idiom used when someone shares information that is already widely known or outdated. It begins with “T” and ends with “S.”
NYT Strands Answers for September 23, #934
Spoiler Warning: The final solutions and the spangram for today’s puzzle are listed below. Do not scroll further if you wish to continue solving the grid on your own.
The spangram for puzzle #934 is THATS OLD NEWS. This phrase describes the general nature of all the words hidden in the grid.
The five theme words for today are:
- BYGONE
- ANCIENT
- ARCHAIC
- PRIMEVAL
- TIMEWORN
According to Forbes, the vocabulary in this set moves from general descriptions of the past to more specific terms like “primeval,” which refers to the earliest ages in the history of the world. All 48 letters in the grid are accounted for by these six solutions, leaving no unused characters.
