NYT Strands #963 for October 22, 2026, follows the theme “Any relation?” with answers connected to family relationships and lineage.
Today's spangram is FAMILY TIES, which connects the puzzle's theme words through the idea of family bonds.
The five theme words are ANCESTORS, BLOOD, BRETHREN, KINFOLK, and OFFSPRING, alongside the spangram.
Another NYT Strands puzzle is here for Thursday, October 22, 2026. Today's challenge follows the theme “Any relation?” and asks players to find words linked to relatives, shared ancestry and family connections. The clues below offer a way to make progress without revealing every answer straight away.
The official theme for October 22 is “Any relation?”
The theme points toward people connected through family, shared ancestry or relationships across generations. The answers include terms for earlier generations, descendants, relatives and the bonds that connect family members.
A useful way to approach today's puzzle is to think about family trees and the different words used to describe people within an extended family. If you're still searching through the grid, the theme itself provides a strong starting point.
NYT Strands is a word-search game where players find words connected to the daily theme. Letters can connect horizontally, vertically or diagonally, creating paths that are not always easy to spot.
The spangram is the key word or phrase that describes the puzzle's theme. It touches two opposite sides of the grid and is highlighted in yellow when found. Players can also find non-theme words to earn hints, with every three qualifying words providing a clue.
Today's main theme hint is:
“Any relation?”
A more direct clue is:
“Think about family connections.”
The theme words are connected to relatives, biological relationships and people from different generations of a family. Look for terms describing ancestors, descendants and extended family members.
Still looking for the longest answer?
Today's spangram contains two words and has 10 letters when the space is removed. It describes the connections between people who belong to the same family.
The phrase begins with the letter F and ends with S. Finding it can help narrow down the remaining words in the grid.
The October 22, 2026, spangram is:
FAMILY TIES
The phrase captures the central idea of today's puzzle and connects the other answers through shared ancestry, relatives and relationships between generations.
The complete answer list for today's puzzle includes:
ANCESTORS
BLOOD
BRETHREN
KINFOLK
OFFSPRING
FAMILY TIES -Spangram
Each theme word relates to family in a different way. ANCESTORS refers to earlier generations, BLOOD represents biological connections, BRETHREN describes brothers or members of a group, KINFOLK refers to relatives, and OFFSPRING describes descendants.
The challenge comes from the variety of words associated with family relationships. While KINFOLK and OFFSPRING may be familiar to many players, BRETHREN is a less commonly used term and may take longer to recognize.
ANCESTORS and OFFSPRING also point toward opposite ends of a family tree, while BLOOD refers to the connection that links relatives. Recognizing these different meanings can help players identify the exact words hidden in the grid.
The spangram, FAMILY TIES, brings all five theme words together. Finding it early may make the rest of the puzzle easier to solve.
NYT Strands continues to give players a different theme each day, with the spangram often providing the strongest clue to the overall puzzle. Today's “Any relation?” theme focuses on family connections and the words used to describe relatives across generations.
For players who were stuck on Strands #963, the answers provide a clear route through the grid. A new puzzle will bring another theme and another set of hidden words in the next daily challenge.
Also Read: Today's NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for October 21, 2026 (#962)