Today's Strands clue is "Who ya gonna call?". Use the hints below to find the theme words and the spangram.
Welcome back, puzzle friend! Take a breath, scan carefully, and let the board surprise you.
HESOCAACCMNTORKRISEXTERNAMIOAITRCTMTSECTRETISKES
Theme nudge: What to look for
Look for little unwelcome houseguests that creep, nibble, and scuttle into homes.
Hint 1: How many words to find
There are 6 theme words plus one spangram.
Hint 2: The spangram
The spangram has 12 letters, starts with E, and runs from one side of the board to the other.
Hint 3: Theme word lengths and first letters
- 4 letters, starts with A
- 11 letters, starts with C
- 4 letters, starts with M
- 4 letters, starts with R
- 8 letters, starts with T
- 5 letters, starts with T
Show the spangram
EXTERMINATOR
Show all theme words
ANTS, COCKROACHES, MICE, RATS, TERMITES, TICKS
About this puzzle
- Made by Christina Iverson
- Edited by Tracy Bennett
Strands deep dive
More about today's puzzle. Everything in this section can include the answer.
The solved board
HESOCAACCMNTORKRISEXTERNAMIOAITRCTMTSECTRETISKES
Gold squares are the spangram, green squares are theme words.
What the theme words mean
- ANTS: an Estonian masculine given name.
- COCKROACHES: a crime novel by Norwegian writer Jo Nesbø, the second in the Harry Hole series.
- MICE: (Bermuda, chiefly in the form micin) To be distracted or inattentive (possibly alluding to a cat being distracted by ...
- RATS: "Rats" is a song written by Dave Davies and performed by The Kinks on their album Lola versus Powerman and the Moneyg...
- TERMITES: A white-bodied, wood-consuming insect of the infraorder Isoptera, in the order Blattodea.
- TICKS: "Ticks" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Brad Paisley.
Play today's Strands at The New York Times
More hints for October 27, 2026
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