The NYT Strands puzzle for September 27, 2026, is number 938. Today’s board presents a 48-letter grid that focuses on a specific daily ritual common in many households.
Today’s Theme and Progressive Hints
The official theme for puzzle #938 is “It’s skin deep.” This theme suggests a connection to dermatology or personal hygiene routines.
Broad Hint
Think about the various liquids, creams, and lotions you might apply to your face during a morning or evening routine to keep your skin healthy.
Stronger Hint
Each word in the grid represents a specific type of product used to wash, hydrate, or protect your skin from environmental damage.
Spangram Hint
The spangram is a ten-letter word that describes the overall industry and practice of maintaining your appearance and skin health. It starts with the letter “B” located in the fifth row of the first column on the left side of the grid.
Spoiler Warning: Final Answers for September 27
If you are still attempting to solve the puzzle on your own, stop here. The following list contains the spangram and all theme words for today’s NYT Strands.
The spangram for today is BEAUTYCARE.
- CLEANSER: Used for washing the face.
- TONER: Applied after washing to balance skin.
- SERUM: A concentrated treatment for specific skin concerns.
- MOISTURIZER: Helps the skin retain hydration.
- SUNSCREEN: Provides protection against UV rays.
As documented by Try Hard Guides, players can unlock theme hints by finding unrelated words in the grid. For this specific puzzle, words like MAIN, MORE, TONE, TRUE, and SEER serve as valid hint words to help reveal the positions of the skincare-related answers. The total letter count of the five theme words and the ten-letter spangram accounts for every tile in the 48-letter grid.
