The NYT Strands puzzle for October 27, 2026, is No. 968. Today’s theme, “Who you gonna call?”, is a direct nod to the Ghostbusters franchise, though the actual solution focuses on real-world unwanted guests.
Strands Hint: Who you gonna call?
While the theme title suggests supernatural spirits, the puzzle actually deals with more grounded household nuisances. As reported by CNET, a secondary in-game hint for this board is “Don’t bug me.”
To find the theme words, look for common pests that might infest a home or garden. These include insects and rodents that typically require professional intervention to remove.
Spangram Hint
The spangram describes the professional you would contact to handle the creatures found in today’s grid. It is a 12-letter word that spans the board from left to right. To find its starting point, look at the fourth letter down in the leftmost column.
Spoiler Warning: The final answers and spangram for Strands No. 968 are listed below.
Strands Answers for October 27, No. 968
The spangram for today’s puzzle is EXTERMINATOR. This word connects the left and right sides of the 6×8 grid, utilizing 12 of the total 48 letters.
The remaining theme words are:
- ANTS
- MICE
- RATS
- TICKS
- TERMITES
- COCKROACHES
Each of these words represents a common pest handled by the professional identified in the spangram. Finding these words fills the grid completely, ensuring all 48 letters are used in the final solution.
