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The November 19 puzzle highlights well-known spiritual roles that guide and influence communities.
The spangram RELIGIOUS FIGURES connects all theme words and anchors the puzzle’s message.
Broad cultural awareness and pattern spotting make puzzles with global themes easier to solve.
Today's NYT Strands presents a thoughtful and intriguing theme along with one of the longest spangrams seen in recent puzzles. The upward, downward, and looping movement of this puzzle in the grid gives it the difficult and beautiful quality of a puzzle that can be enjoyed by those who like to decipher multilayered meanings.
The November 19 NYT Strands puzzle revolves around prominent personalities who are linked to various religions. Each word represents a spiritual guide, teacher, or leader known for spreading wisdom or guiding communities. This theme combines a great variety of global religious figures and provides a puzzle that is not only diverse but also very relevant in its connections.
These hints highlight the starting letters and lengths of today’s theme words:
Hint 1 - Starts with IM, four letters; a Muslim spiritual leader.
Hint 2 - Starts with PR, six letters; a clergy member in Christian traditions.
Hint 3 - Begins with PR, seven letters; a messenger supposedly carrying divine guidance.
Hint 4 - Starts with RA, five letters; a Jewish religious teacher.
Hint 5 - Starts with MO, four letters; a person who is very faithful and is associated with several traditions.
Hint 6 - Starts with BU, six letters; a revered figure central to Buddhist teachings.
The non-spangram words in today’s puzzle are:
IMAM
PRIEST
PROPHET
RABBI
MONK
BUDDHA
Every title overtly reveals leadership, spiritual commitment, or teachings that affect communities and cultures.
The spangram RELIGIOUS FIGURES goes to the limit on the board, embracing the entire range of today's theme. It is a phrase that acts like a bond, connecting the diverse roles and traditions depicted in the puzzle.
Look for words tied to broad categories when the clue suggests a group or shared identity.
Think about vocabulary from international societies, especially if the topics are associated with customs or functions that are universal.
Use longer paths in the grid to uncover extended words that may hint at the spangram’s direction.
Look for letter sequences that are repeated, since they may assist in finding the titles or the more formal terms.
The November 19 NYT Strands puzzle offers a calm yet engaging challenge that highlights spiritual roles from around the world. Themes like this enrich Strands by blending wordplay with cultural insight, making each solve a chance to learn something new while sharpening logic and vocabulary.
