NYT Wordle Hints

NYT Strands Hints for December 20, 2024, Friday

Similar to Wordle, Connections, and the Mini Crossword, Strands can sometimes be tricky to figure out. Don’t feel bad if you need a little help every now and then! If you’re stuck and need the answers to today’s Strands puzzle, just take a look at the solved puzzle below.

Today’s Strands theme

Today’s theme is " Morning morsel " Just like usual, Strands is a tricky brain game. If you're needing help, this is the right spot. We get it, everyone needs a little boost with their puzzles every now and then!

What’s a spangram?

The spangram for today is CEREAL . Haven’t heard of a spangram? It’s that one word that ties together the theme and usually spreads across the board. Finding it might make everything else clearer!

Today’s Strands theme

  • Starts with C, 5 letters long
    C
  • Starts with C, 7 letters long
    C
  • Starts with C, 6 letters long
    C
  • Starts with F, 5 letters long
    F
  • Starts with L, 4 letters long
    L
  • Starts with P, 6 letters long
    P
  • Starts with P, 4 letters long
    P
  • Starts with S, 5 letters long
    S

How to Solve a NYT Strands Puzzle

If you’re a fan of word puzzles, the NYT Strands game offers a fun and challenging experience that will keep you engaged for hours. In this puzzle, you start by looking for the theme words hidden within a grid of letters. The rules are simple, but the challenge is finding these theme words while using strategy and logic. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the key steps of solving a NYT Strands puzzle, how to use non-theme words to help you, and how to spot the elusive spangram that ties the whole puzzle together.

1. Finding the Theme Words

The first and most important step in any NYT Strands puzzle is identifying the theme words. These are the words that will be central to solving the puzzle. The grid of letters is filled with a mixture of random and theme-related words, and your job is to locate the hidden theme words.

To solve the puzzle, you can move letters around by either dragging or tapping on them. You must form a word by connecting adjacent letters in the grid. Once you've formed a word, you can double-tap the final letter to confirm it. If you correctly identify a theme word, the letters will turn blue and will no longer be selectable. This means the word has been correctly found, and you can move on to the next one.

2. The Role of Non-Theme Words

In NYT Strands, not every word you find is a theme word. While searching for the theme words, you’ll likely come across other words that aren’t part of the theme. These non-theme words, while not directly solving the puzzle, still help you progress. Every time you find three non-theme words that are at least four letters long, you earn a hint.

This is a great opportunity because the hint will reveal a letter from one of the theme words, which will then help you identify the right word. Once you have a few hints and letters revealed, you can use them to unscramble and discover the theme words more easily.

3. The Grid and How Letters Are Used

One of the key aspects of NYT Strands is that all the letters in the grid are used to spell out the theme words, and there is no overlap between these words. This means that each letter in the grid will be part of one theme word, and once you identify a word, those letters are removed from the grid.

As a result, the puzzle becomes a strategic process of elimination. By solving one theme word, you remove certain letters from the grid, which will help narrow down possible solutions for the remaining theme words. The challenge is figuring out which letters combine to form the correct words while keeping track of the letters that are already used.

4. The Spangram: The Special Theme Word

In each NYT Strands puzzle, there is one special word or set of words known as the "spangram." The spangram is a unique and crucial theme word that links the two opposite sides of the grid. The spangram is a key part of the puzzle and often provides the thematic connection that ties everything together.

Once you identify the spangram, it will turn yellow, marking the final clue in the puzzle. The spangram is often the most challenging part of the puzzle to figure out, as it may require you to think critically about the relationships between different theme words and the overall theme of the puzzle.

5. Tips for Solving the NYT Strands Puzzle

Here are some tips to help you solve NYT Strands puzzles more efficiently:

  • Start with easy words: Focus on finding shorter words or words that are easier to recognize. These can provide you with a sense of direction and help you eliminate letters from the grid.
  • Look for word patterns: Keep an eye out for common prefixes, suffixes, or letter combinations that can help you identify potential theme words. These patterns will guide your search.
  • Use the non-theme words: Remember that finding non-theme words can still be helpful. They unlock hints and reveal letters from the theme words, so don’t overlook them.
  • Work with the spangram: Once you think you’ve identified the spangram, use it as a guide to help you solve the remaining theme words. The spangram can often give you a clue about the overall theme and structure of the puzzle.