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This page covers the New York Times Strands puzzle for Saturday, October 5, 2024, which was game #216. The theme clue is “No way!”, and the spangram is THATSUNREAL. If you only want a nudge, start with the hints below. The full answer list comes after a spoiler warning.
Hints for the October 5, 2024 puzzle
Work through these in order and stop as soon as you have the nudge you need.
- Theme clue: “No way!”
- Spangram hint: “Can you believe it?!” The spangram is the word that names the connection between the theme words and spans at least two sides of the grid.
- Theme subject: The theme words are all ways of describing something that is not genuine, so think about deception and fakery.
Spoiler warning: complete answers below
The rest of this page reveals every answer for game #216. Stop here if you want to solve the rest yourself.
| Role in the puzzle | Answer |
|---|---|
| Spangram | THATSUNREAL (Forbes styles it as “THAT’S UNREAL”) |
| Theme word | SHAM |
| Theme word | FAKE |
| Theme word | QUACK |
| Theme word | PHONY |
| Theme word | HOAX |
| Theme word | CHARLATAN |
| Theme word | HUMBUG |
Two secondary guides agree on the theme clue, the spangram and this list of seven theme words for game #216.
Words that unlock in-game hints
TechRadar lists six clue words that players can find to unlock in-game hints for this puzzle: GUST, CART, QUERY, BUSH, SHAME and CHANT. Forbes describes the general mechanic: finding three valid non-theme words of at least four letters unlocks a hint that highlights one theme word. Forbes reports these mechanics from its own coverage of Strands, not from an NYT rules page, so treat the exact unlock rules as the outlet’s description.
Why this is the 2024 puzzle
Searches for “Saturday, October 5” return results from other years, and those refer to different Strands puzzles. October 5, 2024 was a Saturday, which is why this article uses that year. October 5, 2025 fell on a Sunday, and October 5, 2026 falls on a Monday. If you are looking for a different day’s grid, check the date on the puzzle page before using these answers.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Quick reference for the puzzle
- Game number: #216
- Date: Saturday, October 5, 2024
- Theme clue: “No way!”
- Spangram: THATSUNREAL
- Theme words: SHAM, FAKE, QUACK, PHONY, HOAX, CHARLATAN, HUMBUG
Strands puzzles are published by the New York Times. Look for the game number on the puzzle page to confirm you have the right grid.
Quick Recap
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