The popular word puzzle Strands from The New York Times has returned with a brand-new challenge for players on December 21, 2025. This daily game presents a grid of letters where solvers must hunt for words connected by a clever, unifying idea. Today's edition cleverly mixes nostalgia with a touch of trickery, potentially causing players to overlook simple words initially.
Today's Strands Theme: A Classic Fairy Tale Villain
The central theme for the Strands puzzle on this date is Big bad wolf. This concept is drawn directly from the timeless children's story, The Three Little Pigs, which features the iconic antagonist who menaces three sibling pigs. The hidden words within the letter grid are all intimately linked to this tale, capturing the wolf's actions and the materials used by the pigs in their famous homes.
Guiding Hints and Clues for Solvers
If the puzzle grid seems daunting at first glance, players can use strategic hints to find their way. The general theme guidance suggests thinking about classic fairy tales, particularly those involving breath, destruction, and various types of houses. Within the game itself, using specific clue words like PIGS, PELT, SOWS, TRACK, and KNOW can trigger helpful nudges that steer players toward the correct theme words.
Complete Solution: Theme Words and Spangram Revealed
For those who are stuck or simply wish to verify their success, here is the full answer set for the December 21 Strands puzzle. All the theme words connect directly to the narrative of the Big Bad Wolf:
- BLOW
- BRICKS
- DOWN
- HUFF
- PUFF
- STICKS
- STRAW
Collectively, these words represent the wolf's persistent efforts to huff and puff and blow down the houses constructed from straw, sticks, and bricks.
The crucial spangram, which is the longer word or phrase that binds the entire puzzle together, is THREELITTLEPIGS. As players find more theme words, the remaining letters in the grid gradually coalesce to form this phrase, providing a satisfying conclusion that perfectly encapsulates the day's theme.
This edition of Strands continues the puzzle's tradition of offering a blend of straightforward fun and subtle misdirection, ensuring an engaging mental workout for word game enthusiasts daily.
