If you’re a culinary enthusiast, the NYT Strands hints for today are clear-cut.

Strands, the New York Times‘ elegant word-search challenge, presents players with a twist on the conventional word search. Words can be constructed from adjacent letters — in any orientation — and may alter direction, forming distinctive shapes. Each letter in the grid contributes to a solution. A central theme links all responses, along with the “spangram,” a unique word or phrase that embodies the day’s theme and spans the grid either horizontally or vertically.

Strands provides a cryptic hint and excludes the word list, resulting in a puzzling challenge that requires more time to complete than other games such as Wordle and Connections.

If you find yourself in a bind or pressed for time, we have all of the NYT Strands hints necessary to tackle today’s puzzle at your leisure.

NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Feeling hungry?

The words pertain to food.

Today’s NYT Strands theme clearly defined

These terms refer to eateries.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it horizontal or vertical?

Today’s NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram solution for today

Today’s spangram is Dining Out.

NYT Strands word collection for December 5

• Steakhouse

• Buffet

• Cafe

• Dining Out