NYT Strands No. 967: 'Please, Be My Guest' Theme and 'Hospitality' Spangram

Key points

• The theme for Strands No. 967 is 'Please, be my guest.'
• The spangram is 'HOSPITALITY,' starting at the top row, fourth column, and ending at the bottom row, first column.
• Non-spangram theme words include 'HOST,' 'MEET,' 'INVITE,' 'RECEIVE,' 'WELCOME,' and 'ENTERTAIN.'
• The New York Times rates the puzzle as moderate difficulty based on paid tester ratings.
• CNET and TechRadar provide full solutions, while the NYT offers partial hints.

Background

Strands is a daily word search game launched by the New York Times in 2024, following the success of Wordle and Connections. Previous puzzles, such as No. 952 and No. 951, were also rated moderate difficulty, with themes like 'Changing course' and spangrams like 'THEOLDSWITCHEROO.' The game requires players to find theme words and a spangram within a 6x8 grid.

How outlets are covering it

The New York Times provides partial hints, including the first letter and direction for three theme words, and rates the puzzle as moderate. CNET and TechRadar offer full solutions, with CNET noting the theme is 'fairly simple' and TechRadar's author rating it 'Hard' due to initial confusion. All sources agree on the theme and spangram, but differ in the level of detail provided to solvers.

Why it matters

Strands is a popular daily puzzle that engages millions of users, reflecting the broader trend of word games in digital media. The puzzle's theme and difficulty rating help solvers gauge their progress and enjoy the daily challenge.

What to watch

The next Strands puzzle, No. 968, will be released at midnight in each player's time zone on October 27, 2026. The New York Times will publish a new Sidekick with hints and difficulty ratings for the upcoming puzzle.