If you’re in a celebratory mood, today’s NYT Strands clues are a piece of cake.

Strands, the New York Times‘ elegant word-find game, presents participants with a distinct variation on the conventional word search. Words can be crafted from interconnected letters in any orientation, including diagonals, and can alter direction, resulting in unique formations. Each letter in the grid is integral to a solution. Every puzzle features a theme linking all responses, along with the “spangram,” a particular word or phrase that embodies the day’s theme and stretches across the grid either horizontally or vertically.

Strands presents a mind-bending challenge by offering obscure hints and eliminating the word list, making it more time-intensive than other games like Wordle and Connections.

If you find yourself at a standstill or pressed for time, we have all the NYT Strands hints for today’s puzzle to assist you in advancing at your own speed.

NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: All the embellishments

The words pertain to decoration.

Today’s NYT Strands theme clearly defined

These terms depict methods to celebrate a winter holiday.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it oriented vertically or horizontally?

Today’s NYT Strands spangram is oriented vertically.

NYT Strands spangram solution today

Today’s spangram is Christmas Tree.

NYT Strands word collection for December 20

• Ornament

• Star

• Christmas Tree