Today's NYT Strands puzzle centred on words associated with spies and secret missions.
The theme words described people and roles tied to covert work and hidden identities.
The UNDERCOVER spangram connected all the answers and named the setting behind the puzzle.
The NYT Strands puzzle puts a modern spin on the traditional word search, asking players to find themed words hidden across a letter grid. Each puzzle centers on a common idea, while the spangram acts as the key phrase connecting the theme words.
Hints For Solving Today's NYT Strands
Today's puzzle revolves around secrecy and espionage, with the answers describing people who work undercover or gather information quietly. If you are having trouble spotting the words, thinking about spy movies and terms used for hidden informants can help narrow down the possibilities. Some answers describe a person who infiltrates a group, while others are terms for someone who counters or gives away secret information.
Also read: NYT Strands Hints, Answers for September 12, 2026 (Puzzle #923)
The first two letters of each theme word are:
AG AS CO MO OP PL
These opening combinations point toward common terms used in espionage. Once the theme becomes clear, finding the remaining answers becomes considerably easier. Players can also use the built-in NYT Strands hint system if they get stuck. The game reveals part of a theme word after a player finds three valid non-theme words containing at least four letters.
Also read: NYT Strands Hints, Spangram, Answers for September 11, 2026 (#922)
Today's spangram is UNDERCOVER.
The word captures the central idea behind the puzzle, referring to someone working in secret without revealing their true identity. Each theme answer represents a person or role tied to that setting. The spangram runs across the grid and touches both the left and right sides of the board.
AGENT: A person who works secretly to gather information for an organisation or government. ASSET: A person recruited to provide inside information without formally joining an agency. COUNTERSPY: A person whose job is to detect and stop the work of enemy spies. MOLE: A person who secretly works inside an organisation while reporting to an outside party. OPERATIVE: A trained person carrying out secret assignments on behalf of an agency. PLANT: A person placed inside a group to gather information without being noticed.
The NYT Strands puzzle of today highlights the theme of espionage using six words that all describe people working in secret. All these words, including AGENT, ASSET, COUNTERSPY, MOLE, OPERATIVE and PLANT, share a common setting, while UNDERCOVER serves as the spangram of the puzzle. The whole thing becomes quite simple once the setting is revealed.