Strands October 31, 2026: Answers, Spangram & Hints (#1167)
Recap
This puzzle involved finding common items associated with Halloween, including treats and accessories. Solvers had to use the given letters to figure out the theme words and the spangram, which described the activity of going door-to-door on Halloween.
The official theme clue
It's in the bag
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.
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Hint 1: What the theme was getting at
A reading of the theme. No answers.
The theme involves common items you'd find or use during a specific festive activity.
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Hint 2: The category, said plainly
The same idea, unhedged.
Halloween treats and accessories
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Hint 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 12 letters long.
- Theme word 1
- 4 letters
- Theme word 2
- 5 letters
- Theme word 3
- 5 letters
- Theme word 4
- 5 letters
- Theme word 5
- 7 letters
- Theme word 6
- 10 letters
- Spangram
- 12 letters, side to side
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Hint 4: One clue per word, easiest first
Crossword-style.
Theme word 1 (4 letters)
Symbol of engagement or wedding
Theme word 2 (5 letters)
Common fruit often associated with health
Theme word 3 (5 letters)
Sweet treat often given out on Halloween
Theme word 4 (5 letters)
Sharp teeth, often used in costumes
Theme word 5 (7 letters)
Adhesive decoration, often used for fun
Theme word 6 (10 letters)
Daily hygiene tool for cleaning teeth
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Hint 5: First two letters of every theme word
Enough to start tracing.
- Theme word 1
- RI… (4 letters)
- Theme word 2
- AP… (5 letters)
- Theme word 3
- CA… (5 letters)
- Theme word 4
- FA… (5 letters)
- Theme word 5
- ST… (7 letters)
- Theme word 6
- TO… (10 letters)
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Hint 6: What the spangram meant
The long one that tied the board together.
Phrase associated with going door-to-door on a specific holiday, seeking sweets.
It touched both edges, running side to side across all 6 columns.
The starting letter board
The grid as printed, 6 across and 8 down. Read only — reveal an answer below and this board traces it.
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 · 5 letters
APPLE
A healthy snack option, sometimes used in Halloween games
Theme word 2 · 5 letters
CANDY
Sweet treats given out during trick-or-treating
Theme word 3 · 5 letters
FANGS
Fake teeth used in vampire costumes for Halloween
Theme word 4 · 4 letters
RING
A type of accessory, sometimes used in costumes or as a prize
Theme word 5 · 7 letters
STICKER
A fun decoration that can be used on costumes or as a prize
Theme word 6 · 10 letters
TOOTHBRUSH
A hygiene item, sometimes used in costumes or as a gag gift
Spangram · 12 letters, side to side
TRICKORTREAT
The activity of going door-to-door asking for candy on Halloween
This puzzle by the numbers
- Puzzle
- (#1167) · Saturday, October 31, 2026
- Theme answers
- 6 plus the spangram
- Board
- 6 × 8 letters
- Answer lengths
- 4–10 letters
- Spangram
- 12 letters, side to side
- Difficulty
- medium for a weekday board
- Valid non-theme words
- 939 accepted for hints
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