Letter Boxed Today: Hints and Answers for September 23
Twelve letters, four sides, and one rule that does all the damage: no two letters in a row from the same side. The hints start with how to read the board and only name a word from the chain five rungs down.
The board
12 letters, three to a side. A word may hop from any side to any other, but never twice in a row from the same side, and the next word has to start on the letter the last one ended on.
- TopUTN
- RightOYQ
- BottomEXV
- LeftARG
Letter Boxed hints, one rung at a time
Six rungs, softest first. This page remembers which ones you opened while this board is current.
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Hint 1: How to attack this board
Method only — no word from the chain.
The board has a mix of common and uncommon letters. Starting with a word that uses high-frequency letters or clears a side can be beneficial. Look for a word that ends with a versatile letter, setting up multiple possibilities for the next word.
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Hint 2: Board facts: letters, par and how many words fit
All read off the board.
- Top side
- U · T · N
- Right side
- O · Y · Q
- Bottom side
- E · X · V
- Left side
- A · R · G
- Par
- 6 words
- Official chain
- 2 words
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Hint 3: The opening word, without naming it
Consider a 7-letter word starting with A, a relatively common starting letter that could offer several paths forward.
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Hint 4: How long the opening word is, and where it starts
- Opening word
- 7 letters, starts with V
- Word 2
- 9 letters
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Hint 5: The opening word itself
The rest of the chain is still yours.
- Word 1
- VAQUERO
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Hint 6: What each remaining word has to do
Last rung before the full chain.
Every word after the first has to begin on the letter the previous one ended on, and together they still have to cover all 12 letters.
- Word 2
- 9 letters, starts with O
Today's Letter Boxed solution, word by word
Spoilers below. Each word of the official chain stays folded until you open it.
Word 1 · 7 letters
VAQUERO
A vaquero is a type of cowboy, specifically one from Latin America. This word uses the letters V, A, Q, U, E, R, and O, clearing the side UTN and setting up for OXYGENATE.
Word 2 · 9 letters
OXYGENATE
To oxygenate means to supply with oxygen. This word uses the letters O, X, Y, G, E, N, A, T, and E, utilizing the O from VAQUERO and clearing several remaining letters.
Other chains that solve this board
Any chain that uses all twelve letters and starts each word where the last one ended is a win. These were found in this board’s own word list, so every one of them is playable.
Alternate chain 1 · 2 words
VAQUEROOXYGENATOR
Alternate chain 2 · 3 words
AEROVANEEQUATORREOXYGENATE
Alternate chain 3 · 3 words
AQUAAVOOXYGENATOR
This board by the numbers
edited by Sam Ezersky.
- Puzzle
- Wednesday, September 23, 2026
- Board
- 4 sides of 3 letters
- Par
- 6 words
- Official chain
- 2 words
- Words accepted
- 439 on this board
- Other chains we verified
- 3
- Difficulty
- medium
The last board we archived
The newest archived page is Letter Boxed answers for Tuesday, September 22, 2026, created once its date stopped being current everywhere on Earth.
More puzzles today
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Today's NYT Mini Crossword clues, nudges and answers
One extra nudge per clue, so one square can be unstuck alone.
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Today's NYT Strands hints, spangram and answers
Theme words, the spangram, and a board that traces each answer.
How Letter Boxed works, in short
Trace words around a square of twelve letters. Consecutive letters must come from different sides, and every word after the first has to begin on the letter the previous one ended on. Use all twelve letters and you win — in as many words as you like, though par is the number to beat. Our full Letter Boxed guide covers the tactics.
NYT Letter Boxed questions we get asked
When does a new NYT Letter Boxed puzzle appear?
At midnight in your own time zone, the same way the NYT Games app rolls over. This page reads that zone off your request, so the board you see is the current one where you are.
What is the Letter Boxed par for September 23?
6 words. The published chain does it in 2, and the board accepts 439 words in total, so there is plenty of room to beat par your own way.
What are the Letter Boxed letters for September 23?
Top: U, T, N; Right: O, Y, Q; Bottom: E, X, V; Left: A, R, G. No word may use two letters from the same side back to back.
Does the NYT solution have to be the shortest one?
No. Any chain that uses every letter and starts each word on the previous word’s last letter wins. The published chain is one valid answer, not the only one.
What is the Letter Boxed answer for September 23?
VAQUERO then OXYGENATE. We also verified 3 other chains against this board's own word list.
Is TodayHint affiliated with The New York Times?
No — TodayHint is independent. Letter Boxed and NYT are trademarks of The New York Times Company. Board data is reported as fact; the hints around it are written for this site.