Looking for a different day?
A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing ‘today’s game’ while others are playing ‘yesterday’s’. If you’re looking for Wednesday’s puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Wednesday, December 24 (game #661).
Strands is the NYT’s latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it’s great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don’t read on if you don’t want to know the answers.
NYT Strands today (game #662) – hint #1 – today’s theme
What is the theme of today’s NYT Strands?
• Today’s NYT Strands theme is… Caroler’s count
NYT Strands today (game #662) – hint #2 – clue words
Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
- CHEMIST
- DRAMA
- STEW
- SASSY
- SAIL
- WIPER
- MASS
NYT Strands today (game #662) – hint #3 – spangram letters
How many letters are in today’s spangram?
• Spangram has 13 letters
NYT Strands today (game #662) – hint #4 – spangram position
What are two sides of the board that today’s spangram touches?
First side: left, 3rd row
Last side: right, 1st row
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Strands today (game #662) – the answers
The answers to today’s Strands, game #662, are…
- LORDS
- DRUMMERS
- MAIDS
- PIPERS
- SWANS
- LADIES
- SPANGRAM: CHRISTMASDAYS
- My rating: Easy
- My score: Perfect
A nice festive search that didn’t pose too many challenges once it became obvious what carol the theme was.
Missing from the search were, of course, a partridge, geese, turtle doves and my favourite line to sing – five gold rings. It’s an odd song in many ways, the gifts of birds, milk and pipers I understand, but who would want some lords leaping around the place?
It’s also a song that’s evolved a lot over the years – the first version included colly birds – so we are long overdue an update. Maybe seven Apple Watches instead of the SWANS and surely a Samsung Galaxy Tablet in a pear tree would be more desirable than a partridge?
Yesterday’s NYT Strands answers (Wednesday, December 24, game #661)
- COMFY
- COZY
- RELAXING
- PLEASANT
- WARM
- SOFT
- HOMEY
- SPANGRAM: SNUGASABUG
What is NYT Strands?
Strands is the NYT’s not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It’s now a fully fledged member of the NYT’s games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
I’ve got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you’re struggling to beat it each day.

