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In search of most recent Response from the strands? Click here for our daily strand tipsplus our daily answers and tips for Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles from The New York Times.
Today’s New York Times Strands The puzzle is fun, but you might have trouble at first seeing a connection between the words. If you need advice and answers, keep reading.
I discuss in depth the rules for strands in this story.
If you are looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s New York Times Puzzle Tips Page.
Learn more: NYT Connections Celebrates Its First Anniversary: These Are the 5 Hardest Puzzles Yet
Hint for today’s Strands puzzle
Today’s Strands theme is: Please wait.
If that doesn’t help, here’s a hint: Cats love them more than expensive toys.
Clue words to unlock clues in the game
Your goal is to find hidden words that match the theme of the puzzle. If you’re stuck, find all the words you can. Every time you find three words of four or more letters, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. Here are the words I used to get these clues, but any words of four letters or more that you find will work:
- BOXING, CHEAT, HEAT, SMOCK, MOCK, LATE, TEAM, MEAT, TEAMS, LOOT, TOLE, BALL, BALL, KALE, BIG
Answers to today’s Strands puzzle
These are the answers that are related to the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that extends from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you have them all (initially I thought there were always eight, but I learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the non-spangram responses:
- GIFT, SHOE, TOOL, LUNCH, MATCH, PIZZA, BALLOT, ATTACK (All are words that can be placed in front of “box”.)
Today’s Strands spangram
The NYT Strands puzzle completed by December 26, 2025.
Today’s Strands spangram is BOXINGDAY. To find it, start with the B which is four letters down on the leftmost row, then work your way down.
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