September 30’s Strands leans into character. The theme is “For goodness’ sake,” and every entry points to a core principle. If you want to jump straight into the grid, play on the official Strands page at nytimes.com/games/strands.

NYT Strands theme (September 30, 2025)

Today’s board centers on fundamental human values — the social traits that guide behavior and relationships. The spangram ties them all together:

  • Spangram: VALUES

Spoiler‑free hints

  • Think of words you might hear in school assemblies or on classroom posters.
  • Each entry reflects a trait that guides choices and actions.
  • These are about how we treat other people, not physical abilities.
  • Empathy and respect both belong in this set.
  • One word is about working together toward a shared goal.
  • Another is tied to truthfulness.
  • The spangram is what all of these traits are, collectively.

Full answers (spoilers)

Theme word What it signals
DISCIPLINE Structure and self‑control
HONESTY Truthfulness and integrity
COOPERATION Working together
EMPATHY Understanding others’ feelings
RESPECT Treating others with dignity
Spangram VALUES

How Strands works

  • Each daily grid hides words connected by a theme.
  • Words can turn corners and run in any direction, including diagonals.
  • Every letter is used once across all theme words and the spangram.
  • Most puzzles include roughly six to eight theme words.

How built‑in hints work

  • Find any non‑theme word of at least four letters to earn a hint.
  • Each valid extra word grants one hint.
  • Using a hint reveals one theme word’s letters on the board.

Tip: Save hints for when the grid stalls out. One reveal often unlocks several follow‑ups.

Solving tips that help

  • Start with the most obvious theme connections you can spot.
  • Scan diagonals early; angled paths are common.
  • Build around cleared words — the remaining letter shapes often suggest the next answer.
  • Earn hints steadily, then deploy them when progress slows.
  • Keep synonyms in mind; the theme cue isn’t always literal.

Yesterday’s Strands (September 29, 2025) recap

Theme: “Chew on that!” — gum flavors.

  • Answers: BUBBLE, CINNAMON, SPEARMINT, BERRY, WINTERGREEN
  • Spangram: GUMFLAVOR

Today’s set is a straightforward reminder of traits that build trust and community. Once the first value falls into place, the rest tend to surface quickly — and the spangram neatly labels the lot.