TodayHint

Strands October 17, 2026: Answers, Spangram & Hints (#1151)

Constructed by Tracy Bennett, edited by Tracy Bennett.

Recap

This puzzle explored the physical and verbal reactions people experience when they have strong romantic or social feelings towards someone. Solvers uncovered words describing nervous laughter, embarrassment, and other symptoms of having a crush.

The official theme clue

Quite the crush

Printed above the board in the app itself that day — the line that decided which of the many words hiding in the grid actually counted.

Strands hints, one rung at a time

Six rungs, softest first. The recap above already named the answers, so this ladder is here for anyone replaying the board fresh rather than as a spoiler shield.

  1. What the theme was getting at

    A reading of the theme. No answers.

    The theme seems to revolve around the physical and verbal reactions people experience when they have strong romantic or social feelings towards someone, often characterized by nervousness or embarrassment.

  2. The category, said plainly

    The same idea, unhedged.

    Category: Emotional and physical reactions to having a crush

  3. Board facts: how many words, how long

    Counted off the grid.

    The board was 6 letters wide and 8 tall. 6 theme answers were hidden in it, plus the spangram, which ran side to side and was 10 letters long.

    Theme word 1
    6 letters
    Theme word 2
    5 letters
    Theme word 3
    6 letters
    Theme word 4
    6 letters
    Theme word 5
    7 letters
    Theme word 6
    8 letters
    Spangram
    10 letters, side to side
    Jump to the letter board
  4. One clue per word, easiest first

    Crossword-style.

    Theme word 1 (6 letters)

    Nervous laughter, often a sign of being smitten

    Theme word 2 (5 letters)

    Visible sign of embarrassment or shyness

    Theme word 3 (6 letters)

    Involuntarily move with nervous energy, a common crush symptom

    Theme word 4 (6 letters)

    Talk excessively and incoherently, often due to excitement or nervousness

    Theme word 5 (7 letters)

    Trip over one's own feet, figuratively or literally, in the presence of a crush

    Theme word 6 (8 letters)

    Sweat due to anxiety or nervousness, possibly from having a crush

  5. First two letters of every theme word

    Enough to start tracing.

    Theme word 1
    GI… (6 letters)
    Theme word 2
    BL… (5 letters)
    Theme word 3
    FI… (6 letters)
    Theme word 4
    BA… (6 letters)
    Theme word 5
    ST… (7 letters)
    Theme word 6
    PE… (8 letters)
  6. What the spangram meant

    The long one that tied the board together.

    A phrase describing the all-consuming, often exhilarating feeling of developing strong romantic feelings for someone

    It touched both edges, running side to side across all 6 columns.

    Open the full answers

The starting letter board

The grid as printed, 6 across and 8 down. Read only — reveal an answer below and this board traces it.

FAERSR
ELLIPE
LMIHSP
BUNLUL
GSTOVB
GIGFIE
LBELDG
EABBTE

Every Strands answer and the spangram

Every answer from that board, folded. Opening one traces its path above — the spangram in gold.

  • Theme word 1 · 6 letters

    BABBLE

    BABBLE fits the theme as it describes talking excessively and incoherently, often due to having a crush

  • Theme word 2 · 5 letters

    BLUSH

    BLUSH fits the theme as it's a physical reaction to feeling shy or embarrassed, common when having a crush

  • Theme word 3 · 6 letters

    FIDGET

    FIDGET fits the theme as it describes a physical manifestation of nervous energy, often experienced with a crush

  • Theme word 4 · 6 letters

    GIGGLE

    GIGGLE fits the theme as it's a type of nervous laughter, often a reaction to having a crush

  • Theme word 5 · 8 letters

    PERSPIRE

    PERSPIRE fits the theme as it describes sweating due to anxiety, possibly from having a crush

  • Theme word 6 · 7 letters

    STUMBLE

    STUMBLE fits the theme as it can describe tripping over one's words or feet, a common experience with a crush

  • Spangram · 10 letters, side to side

    FALLINLOVE

    FALLINLOVE fits the theme as it describes the overarching feeling of developing strong romantic feelings for someone

This puzzle by the numbers

Puzzle
(#1151) · Saturday, October 17, 2026
Theme answers
6 plus the spangram
Board
6 × 8 letters
Answer lengths
5–8 letters
Spangram
10 letters, side to side
Difficulty
medium for a weekday board
Valid non-theme words
692 accepted for hints

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