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NYT Strands Answer & Hints — “Get to work ...”, October 18, 2025

Stuck on the October 18, 2025 NYT Strands puzzle? Here are progressive hints and the full answer for the “Get to work ...” puzzle (Strands #287 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 October 18, 2025 NYT Strands puzzle. Scroll past this section if you want to solve it yourself first.
Hint 1: The themeReveal

The theme for the October 18, 2025 NYT Strands puzzle is “Get to work ...”. 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 “Get to work ...” puzzle is 11 letters long and starts with the letter R. It touches two opposite edges of the grid, as every NYT Strands spangram does.

Hint 3: How many theme wordsReveal

Besides the spangram, the October 18, 2025 NYT Strands puzzle has 5 theme words. Together with the spangram, they use every letter on the 6×8 grid exactly once.

Answer: Full spangramReveal

The spangram for the October 18, 2025 NYT Strands “Get to work ...” puzzle is RUNNINGLATE. It spans two opposite edges of the 6×8 grid and captures the theme directly.

Answer: All theme wordsReveal

Here are the 5 theme words for the October 18, 2025 NYT Strands “Get to work ...” puzzle:

  • ALARM
  • CLOSURE
  • CONSTRUCTION
  • DETOUR
  • WEATHER

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

Answers for the October 18, 2025 NYT Strands puzzle. Strands Unlimited is an independent fan archive — today's NYT Strands is free on nytimes.com/games/strands.

About the "Get to work ..." NYT Strands puzzle

"Get to work ..." — the theme reads like a direct instruction, and this Strands puzzle follows through on it. Imperative themes give you a strong starting hint because they describe an action or concept in plain terms. The spangram will connect to this instruction, and the work & business theme words scattered across the grid are all things you might associate with following it. Let the command guide your search strategy.

This puzzle has 5 theme words hidden in the grid — a balanced count that gives you enough to work with without overwhelming the board. 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 Saturday, As puzzle #287 of 509+, this one comes from the middle of the Strands collection, when the puzzle makers had hit their stride.

#287
Puzzle Number
5
Theme Words
11
Spangram Letters
Medium
Difficulty

How to approach "Get to work ..."

  • The theme reads as a direct instruction. Take it literally as your starting strategy — what words would you associate with following this command?
  • The long 11-letter spangram is your best starting point. Scan the edges of the grid — the spangram must start on one side and end on the opposite side.
  • The spangram always describes or names the theme. If you can guess the theme from the title alone, you effectively know the spangram — then just find its path in the grid.
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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.