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NYT Strands Answer & Hints — “Lip service”, September 24, 2025

Stuck on the September 24, 2025 NYT Strands puzzle? Here are progressive hints and the full answer for the “Lip service” puzzle (Strands #264 of 509 in our archive). Every reveal is hidden by default — click to open the ones you need.

Spoiler warning. The answers below are for the September 24, 2025 NYT Strands puzzle. Scroll past this section if you want to solve it yourself first.
Hint 1: The themeReveal

The theme for the September 24, 2025 NYT Strands puzzle is “Lip service”. Every theme word and the spangram connects back to this phrase, so think about what related words might fit a 6×8 grid of 48 letters before you start scanning.

Hint 2: Spangram length and first letterReveal

The spangram for the “Lip service” puzzle is 11 letters long and starts with the letter E. It touches two opposite edges of the grid, as every NYT Strands spangram does.

Hint 3: How many theme wordsReveal

Besides the spangram, the September 24, 2025 NYT Strands puzzle has 8 theme words. Together with the spangram, they use every letter on the 6×8 grid exactly once.

Answer: Full spangramReveal

The spangram for the September 24, 2025 NYT Strands “Lip service” puzzle is EXPRESSIONS. It spans two opposite edges of the 6×8 grid and captures the theme directly.

Answer: All theme wordsReveal

Here are the 8 theme words for the September 24, 2025 NYT Strands “Lip service” puzzle:

  • FROWN
  • GAPE
  • GRIN
  • POUT
  • SCOWL
  • SMILE
  • SMIRK
  • SNEER

Plus the spangram EXPRESSIONS, that’s every word on the grid — all 48 letters accounted for.

Answers for the September 24, 2025 NYT Strands puzzle. Strands Unlimited is an independent fan archive — today's NYT Strands is free on nytimes.com/games/strands.

About the "Lip service" NYT Strands puzzle

"Lip service" — a theme that invites you to explore a specific concept through the lens of this Strands puzzle. The phrase describes a mood, setting, or idea, and every theme word hidden in the 6×8 grid belongs to that same world. This general puzzle uses its descriptive title to guide your intuition. Start by brainstorming words that come to mind when you read the theme, then look for them on the board.

At 8 theme words, this is one of the denser puzzles in the archive. The grid is packed, so words will be closer together. The 11-letter spangram is notably long, consuming a good chunk of the grid's 48 letters. Its size makes it easier to find if you focus on the grid's edges. Originally published on a Wednesday, As puzzle #264 of 509+, this one comes from the middle of the Strands collection, when the puzzle makers had hit their stride.

#264
Puzzle Number
8
Theme Words
11
Spangram Letters
Expert
Difficulty

How to approach "Lip service"

  • The theme paints a picture. Brainstorm 5-10 words that come to mind when you read it, then scan the grid for those words or close variants.
  • With 8 theme words and a long spangram, nearly every letter in the grid belongs to a word. Start with the spangram — it uses many letters and opens up the board significantly.
  • Once you find the spangram, re-read the theme title. It almost always makes much more sense in hindsight, which helps you brainstorm the remaining theme words.
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Strands Unlimited is an independent fan archive of past Strands puzzles. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by The New York Times Company. NYT Strands is a trademark of The New York Times Company. Today's daily puzzle is free at nytimes.com/games/strands.