NYT Strands #940 answer & hints: Tuesday, September 29, 2026

Updated: Tuesday, September 29, 2026 · Hints reviewed by Omer Liban · New puzzle daily at midnight US Eastern Time (5am UK). · Puzzle editor: Tracy Bennett.

This page has every level of help for the NYT Strands puzzle #940 of Tuesday, September 29, 2026: 2 spoiler-free hint tiers that narrow things down step by step, followed by the complete answers with explanations — each behind its own tap-to-reveal card.

Today's Strands theme got you stuck? Start with the theme explainer, then reveal first letters, the spangram, and finally the full solution.

Strands is a themed word search: find the theme words hidden in the letter grid, plus the spangram — a special answer that touches two opposite sides of the board and names the theme. Every letter gets used exactly once.

Strands hints (September 29, 2026)

1Understanding the theme

The official clue is “Have a heart”. There are 6 theme words plus the spangram.

2First letters of the theme words

A, A, B, P, P, V

Strands answers — September 29, 2026 (#940)

★The spangram

CARDIOVASCULAR (14 letters).

★All of today's Strands answers

Spangram: CARDIOVASCULAR
Theme words: ARTERY, ATRIUM, BLOOD, PRESSURE, PULSE, VEIN

The puzzle, explained

The spangram "CARDIOVASCULAR" is the perfect umbrella for this heart-themed puzzle—it literally names the biological system that keeps us alive, making "Have a heart" both a literal and figurative plea. All six theme words are essential parts of how your heart does its job: ARTERY and VEIN are the vessels that carry blood in and out, ATRIUM is one of the heart's chambers, PULSE is what you feel when blood pumps through, and PRESSURE measures how hard that blood is pushing. BLOOD is probably the most straightforward—it's what moves through the whole system—but PULSE is the least obvious since it's more of a *symptom* of the cardiovascular system working rather than a physical part of it. Together, they paint a complete picture of cardiac health, from the plumbing to the rhythm.

Next in today's routine: Spelling Bee → · every game's answers on one page. New puzzle daily at midnight US Eastern Time (5am UK). Bookmark this page for tomorrow's hints. Or play Strands on the official site.

More of today's puzzles

LinkedIn puzzles

Strands — common questions

What is a spangram in Strands?

The spangram is the special theme word or phrase that touches two opposite sides of the board. It describes the puzzle's theme and always exists in every Strands puzzle.

How do I earn hints in Strands itself?

Finding three non-theme words in the grid earns one in-game hint, which highlights the letters of a theme word.

Can theme words overlap in Strands?

No — every letter in the grid is used exactly once across the theme words and spangram, which is a powerful deduction tool late in the puzzle.

Previous Strands puzzles

Full Strands archive (185 puzzles) → · How to play Strands (spangram tactics) →