Strands · No. 944 · Saturday, October 3, 2026
NYT Strands #944 hints and answers
Today’s theme clue is “A figment of your imagination”. Hints for the theme and the spangram, one step at a time.
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0 of 6 theme words foundToday’s themeA figment of your imagination
Every 3 non-theme words you find earn a hint.
The hint ladder
0 of 8 hints usedThe theme5 words✓ Solved
NudgeReveal nudge
Not there, yet you'd swear you saw it
Helpful?
HintReveal hint
All nouns for things that aren't real: eerie visitors, tricks of the eye, even a mythic mashup beast.
Helpful?
One wordReveal one word
One theme word: ILLUSION
Helpful?
AnswerReveal answer
Theme words: CHIMERA, ILLUSION, MIRAGE, PHANTASM, SPECTER
The spangramTouches two sides✓ Solved
NudgeReveal nudge
Chasing it is the point; catching it never happens
Helpful?
HintReveal hint
An old rural folklore term, now standard shorthand for an alluring goal that leads pursuers nowhere.
Helpful?
One wordReveal one word
W _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ P (12 letters)
Helpful?
AnswerReveal answer
WILLOTHEWISP
Hints drafted with AI and checked automatically for spoilers. How we write hints