NEW YORK — The New York Times' Strands puzzle on Monday was all about small talk, with a theme built around casual conversation.

Strands No. 981, for Nov. 9, 2026, has the theme "Idle chatter," with five theme words and one spangram to find.

Hints come first, followed by the full answers.

In Strands, players connect adjacent letters on a grid to find words that fit a daily theme. The spangram describes the theme and stretches across the board, and every letter is used........

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