New Delhi, Oct. 16 -- The NYT Strands spangram for October 15, 2026, is LIGHTHOUSE, and the six theme answers are BEACON, STAIRCASE, DOME, LANTERN, TOWER and GALLERY. Puzzle #956 carries the theme clue "Sailor's guide." This guide covers the Thursday, October 15 puzzle, not the October 16 edition.

The theme points toward something that helps people navigate at sea. Rather than looking for types of boats or sailing equipment, think about a fixed structure on the coast. The answers describe that structure, its features and the signal it sends to passing vessels. For another example of how Strands theme clues connect a group of words, the August 22 puzzle used the spangram MOUNTAINRANGE.

For a gentle nudge before checking individual words,...