Clear breakdown of all Strands hints, opening letters, and today’s spangram
Meanings for every theme word to help you understand the puzzle
Fast, spoiler-ready guide for easy solving and verification
The New York Times’ Strands puzzle is a new take on the classic word search: a game in which observation, pattern recognition, and linguistic skill all come together. Every day, the solver engages with a 6×8 letter grid full of theme words connected through a core idea.
What really sets Strands apart, however, is its signature mechanic: the spangram. This special word snakes across the grid, touching at least two edges, and reveals the central theme for all other answers. The moment this spangram is revealed, it glows in yellow, while the theme words related to it shine in blue.
Whether a casual solver or a committed daily player, Strands brings clean design and smart construction to refresh the challenge every single day.
Every Strand puzzle has an official clue, in addition to hints you can unlock as you play.
Official Hint: Feeling peckish?
Extra Hint: Epic meal time?
Put together, these clues point toward food establishments, eat-out experiences, and places associated with enjoying meals.
For players who need a little extra help, it’s possible to get a gameplay hint by finding three valid non-theme words containing four or more letters. This enables the Hint button, which will highlight one of the core theme words to help complete the puzzle.
Also Read: Today’s Quordle Hints and Answers for December 4, 2025
Today’s spangram is: DINING OUT.
This phrase cuts cleanly across the grid and instantly signals the theme-places where people enjoy meals, snacks, or drinks. The spangram solved early provides clarity and frames the rest of the board.
Each of today’s theme words is a kind of restaurant, eatery, or dining establishment:
STEAKHOUSE – any restaurant that largely serves steaks and grilled meats.
BAKERY – A place where bread and pastries are prepared and sold.
BISTRO – a small, informal restaurant selling light meals.
BUFFET – Food arrangement wherein customers serve themselves from food on display.
BREWERY – An establishment that manufactures beer, and is typically accompanied by tasting rooms or food service.
CAFÉ – The common term used for an establishment in a relaxed setting serving coffee, snacks, and light meals.
Taken together, these words paint a flavor-filled picture of places that people visit when feeling hungry.
Also Read: NYT Strands Hints and Answers for December 4, 2025
Today’s NYT Strands puzzle for today highlights the universe of dining. The main spangram DINING OUT led the solvers to a fun variety of eating places and food-related locations that were innovatively and cleverly incorporated throughout the grid.
Strands, as usual, gives back the rewards of keen observation, intuitive connections, and playful attitude towards the word discovery. No matter if you went through it quickly or enjoyed it every moment, the theme of today’s puzzle was delicious, guaranteeing that you would feel like having your next meal after contemplating it.