The New York Times Strands puzzle for Sunday, October 26, 2025, has been solved, and today’s Spangram answer is AUTUMN. Puzzle #602 featured the theme “Fall-ing,” prompting players to identify seasonal words across a six-by-eight grid. With rising interest in NYT’s latest word game, today’s hints helped thousands of players crack the puzzle and maintain their daily streak.
Who: NYT Strands players globally What: Solved puzzle #602 with theme “Fall-ing” When: October 26, 2025 Where: NYT Games platform Why: To solve the daily puzzle and uncover the Spangram How: Using visual hints and strategic word connections
Puzzle Breakdown
Today’s Strands puzzle centered around the theme “Fall-ing,” with the Spangram AUTUMN running horizontally across the grid. The game challenged players to identify theme words associated with the fall season. Confirmed answers included CORN, PUMPKINS, FOOTBALL, HARVEST, ORCHARDS, and FOLIAGE.
Hints provided by NYT included:
- “Orange vegetable carved during Halloween” → PUMPKINS
- “The process to gather ripe fruits or plants” → HARVEST
The puzzle’s difficulty was rated 2 out of 5, making it one of the more accessible challenges this week.
Quotes & Reactions
Gaming columnist Paul Tassi noted, “NYT finally leaned into the seasonal theme, and it paid off. AUTUMN was a satisfying Spangram — intuitive and timely.”
Mashable’s editorial team added, “Strands continues to evolve as a fan-favorite. Today’s puzzle was a great example of thematic cohesion and visual logic.”
Players on Reddit’s r/Strands community praised the clarity of today’s hints, with many solving the puzzle in under 10 minutes.
Player Strategy & Engagement
Today’s puzzle reinforced the importance of identifying the Spangram early. With AUTUMN spanning the grid horizontally, players who spotted it quickly were able to eliminate non-theme words and focus on seasonal vocabulary.
The puzzle also highlighted the value of literal and figurative thinking. Words like FOOTBALL and FOLIAGE required players to associate fall activities and visuals with the grid layout.
Strands continues to attract players from other NYT games like Wordle and Connections, offering a fresh challenge with its dynamic grid and evolving themes.
What’s Next: Upcoming Strands Challenges
Tomorrow’s puzzle (#603) will go live at midnight local time. Based on recent trends, players can expect a shift in theme — possibly toward Halloween or early winter motifs.
NYT Games is expected to roll out new features for Strands in the coming weeks, including streak tracking and enhanced hint systems. Players are encouraged to bookmark the Strands page and check daily for updates.
