Today's NYT Strands puzzle (#945) is all about classic coin-operated video games.
The theme words are five old arcade titles that many players will know from childhood.
The ARCADEGAMES spangram connects all five answers under the "Grab your tokens" theme.
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 centres on a common idea, while the spangram acts as the key phrase that connects the theme words.
Today's puzzle, Strands #945, comes with the official clue "Grab your tokens." The answers are the names of old coin-operated video games. If you are having trouble spotting the words, think about the games you would find in a busy arcade. Some answers are space shooters, while others are simple games with a ball or a crossing.
Also read: NYT Strands Hints, Answers for October 3, 2026 (Puzzle #944)
The first two letters of each theme word are:
AS FR CE PO SC
These pairs point toward well-known arcade titles. Once you find one answer, the rest become much easier. Players can also use the built-in hint system if they get stuck. The game reveals part of a theme word after a player finds three valid non-theme words with at least four letters.
Also read: NYT Strands Hints, Answers for October 2, 2026 (Puzzle #943)
Today's spangram is ARCADEGAMES.
The word has 11 letters and sums up the central idea of the puzzle. It starts with A and ends with S. The spangram bends between vertical and horizontal lines, and it touches the bottom of the first column and the top of the sixth column.
ASTEROIDS: A classic space shooter where the player destroys floating rocks.
CENTIPEDE: A shooting game where the player stops a long bug from reaching the bottom of the screen.
FROGGER: A game where a frog must cross a busy road and a river to reach safety.
PONG: A simple table tennis game and one of the earliest arcade hits.
SCRAMBLE: A side-scrolling shooter where the player flies a ship through tight, dangerous paths.
Today's NYT Strands puzzle takes players back to the arcade with five words: ASTEROIDS, CENTIPEDE, FROGGER, PONG and SCRAMBLE. ARCADEGAMES is the spangram that ties them together. Once the theme is clear, the grid becomes much easier to solve.