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Today’s puzzle centers on opinions and perspectives rather than concrete objects or categories.
The spangram MYTWOCENTS neatly connects all theme words related to personal viewpoints.
Longer answers and abstract themes increase difficulty despite fewer total words.
NYT Strands gives something brand new to classic word searches by letting players find words that are interrelated by a common idea. The Saturday, December 27 puzzle may seem easier at first glance, with only five words, but the long answers and abstract thinking raise the challenge level. This puzzle version favors the attentive reading of the theme and a very good knowledge of synonyms.
Today’s official answer for the NYT Strands theme is “If you ask me…”. All the theme words connect to the personal judgment, beliefs, or the ways of expressing how something is seen or understood. Each answer shows a somewhat different approach to how opinions are formed or shared, which makes the puzzle more conceptual than visual.
Here are subtle hints to guide the search without revealing full answers:
PE - Starts with PE, eleven letters.
OP - Starts with OP, seven letters.
VI - Starts with VI, nine letters.
OU - Starts with OU, seven letters.
TA - Starts with TA, four letters.
The non-spangram theme words hidden in the grid are:
PERSPECTIVE
OPINION
VIEWPOINT
OUTLOOK
TAKE
Each word fits naturally within the broader idea of expressing thoughts or judgments, reinforcing the puzzle’s cohesive theme.
The spangram for today’s puzzle is MYTWOCENTS. This phrase, which spans the opposite sides of the grid, effectively sums up the theme. “My two cents” is an idiom that is frequently used when voicing a personal opinion; it beautifully aligns with all the related theme words.
Abstract themes often rely on synonyms rather than objects or categories.
The longer words might go around the grid, changing their direction several times.
Discovering the spangram early can help in understanding how the rest of the letters are connected.
Reading the theme hint as a phrase rather than a literal clue can unlock faster progress.
The December 27 NYT Strands puzzle is a perfect example of how language can express subjective points of view in varied ways. By presenting a smart spangram and selecting answers with care, today’s grid promotes open-mindedness and vocabulary enrichment. The daily Strands puzzles are still able to refine one's reasoning abilities and provide a delightful mental exercise for those who love word games.
