The hints for today’s NYT Strands are straightforward if you appreciate them just right.

Strands, the New York Times‘ refined word-search game, presents players with a variation of the classic word search. Words can be constructed from adjacent letters — whether up, down, left, right, or diagonal, and they may also switch directions, forming distinct shapes and designs. Each letter within the grid contributes to an answer. There is consistently a theme that connects every solution, alongside the “spangram,” a unique word or phrase that embodies the day’s theme and stretches across the entire grid either horizontally or vertically.

By providing an opaque hint and omitting the word list, Strands creates a puzzle-solving experience that requires more time compared to its other games, such as Wordle and Connections.

If you’re feeling stuck or don’t have 10 or more minutes to tackle today’s puzzle, we have all the NYT Strands hints available for today’s challenge to assist you in progressing at your own pace.

NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Big bad wolf

The terms are linked to literature.

Today’s NYT Strands theme clearly outlined

These terms illustrate a beloved children’s tale.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today’s NYT Strands spangram is placed horizontally.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today’s spangram is Three Little Pigs.

NYT Strands word list for December 21

• Huff