Welcome to today’s NYT Strands challenge! If you’re having trouble finding all the themed words for December 28, 2025, this guide is here to help. We’ve prepared strategic hints that gradually reveal the theme and answers, plus the complete solution including the spangram when you’re ready.
What is NYT Strands?
NYT Strands is an innovative daily word search puzzle from The New York Times that challenges players to find hidden words connected by a common theme. Unlike traditional word searches, Strands requires you to discover both the theme and the words, making it a more engaging and thought-provoking experience.
The game presents a grid of letters where you must find all the theme words by connecting adjacent letters in any direction. The ultimate goal is to discover the spangram—a special word or phrase that spans from one side of the board to the other and perfectly describes the puzzle’s theme.
How to Play NYT Strands
The gameplay combines elements of word search and thematic puzzle-solving. You’re presented with a 6×8 grid of letters and a cryptic clue about the puzzle’s theme. Your task is to find all the theme-related words hidden in the grid by connecting adjacent letters horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.
Words can twist and turn through the grid in any direction, making them more challenging to spot than traditional word searches. Once you find all the theme words, you’ll unlock the spangram—a special word or phrase that uses letters from one side of the board to the other and encapsulates the entire theme.
The game provides a hint system: finding three non-theme words reveals a theme word’s location. Every letter in the grid must be used exactly once across all the theme words and the spangram, creating a satisfying puzzle where everything fits together perfectly.
NYT Strands Theme Hint for December 28, 2025
Before revealing the full theme and answers, let’s start with some progressive hints:
Theme Hint #1: General Category
Today’s puzzle relates to health and physical sensations, specifically things you experience when you’re feeling unwell.
Theme Hint #2: Seasonal Connection
This theme is particularly relevant during winter months and cold season, when many people experience these discomforts.
Theme Hint #3: The Complete Theme
Theme: “Load up on tissues”
This clue tells you that today’s words all relate to things that happen when you have a cold or similar illness—the kinds of symptoms that require keeping tissues handy.
Word Hints for December 28, 2025
Now that you know the theme, here are hints for each word without immediately revealing them:
Word Hint #1
A sudden, forceful expulsion of air from the nose and mouth, often triggered by irritation or illness.
Word Hint #2
A reflex action that clears the throat and airways, producing a distinctive sound.
Word Hint #3
Breathing with a whistling or rattling sound, often indicating respiratory difficulty.
Word Hint #4
A dry, short cough or a rough chopping sound; can also mean to cut roughly.
Word Hint #5
Liquid falling in drops, often referring to what happens with a runny nose.
Word Hint #6
A rough, noisy breath through the nose, sometimes indicating congestion or disdain.
Word Hint #7
A repeated sniff, often when trying to keep a runny nose under control.
NYT Strands Answers for December 28, 2025
Ready for the complete solution? Here are all the theme words:
- SNEEZE – The classic cold symptom triggered by nasal irritation
- COUGH – The reflex that clears your airways
- WHEEZE – Breathing with difficulty, producing a whistling sound
- HACK – A dry, harsh cough
- DRIP – What your nose does when it’s running
- SNORT – A forceful breath through a congested nose
- SNIFFLE – The repeated sniffing when you have a runny nose
Spangram Answer
COLD SYMPTOM – The two-word spangram that perfectly describes all the theme words and spans across the puzzle grid.
Understanding Today’s Theme
Today’s Strands puzzle perfectly captures the miserable experience of having a cold. The theme “Load up on tissues” is a clever, relatable clue that immediately evokes the image of someone dealing with cold symptoms, surrounded by tissue boxes.
Each word represents a different manifestation of cold symptoms. SNEEZE and COUGH are probably the most universal cold experiences—those involuntary reflexes that punctuate your day when you’re sick. WHEEZE and HACK represent more severe respiratory symptoms, while DRIP and SNIFFLE describe the annoying nasal congestion that seems to never end.
SNORT is an interesting inclusion, representing that forceful attempt to clear your nasal passages when they’re completely blocked. Together, these seven words paint a comprehensive picture of cold misery that anyone who’s ever been sick can relate to.
The spangram COLD SYMPTOM ties everything together beautifully, explicitly naming what connects all these uncomfortable experiences. It’s a straightforward but effective spangram that leaves no ambiguity about the puzzle’s theme.
Strategies for Solving NYT Strands
Want to improve your Strands solving skills? Here are effective strategies:
Understanding the Theme
Read the clue carefully: The theme clue is often clever or metaphorical. “Load up on tissues” doesn’t literally mean “buy tissues” but rather points to situations where you’d need them—cold symptoms.
Think broadly: Once you identify the general topic, brainstorm all related words. For a cold theme, think about everything associated with being sick: symptoms, sensations, actions, and sounds.
Consider word length: The grid size limits possible word lengths. Most theme words in Strands are between 4-7 letters, though occasionally longer words appear.
Finding Words in the Grid
Start with obvious words: Once you understand the theme, look for the most common related words first. COUGH and SNEEZE are classic cold symptoms that many players might spot quickly.
Look for letter patterns: Common letter combinations like -TION, -ING, or -EEZE can help you spot words faster.
Try different starting points: If you’re stuck, systematically try starting from different corners or edges of the grid.
Use the hint system strategically: If you’re truly stuck, finding three non-theme words will reveal a theme word’s location. Sometimes this breakthrough is all you need.
Finding the Spangram
It spans the board: The spangram always reaches from one side to the other. Look for word paths that travel across the entire grid.
It summarizes the theme: The spangram should make you think, “Yes, that perfectly describes all these words!” In this case, COLD SYMPTOM explicitly names what connects all the words.
Save it for last: Often the spangram becomes easier to spot once you’ve found most or all of the theme words.
Why This Theme Works Well
Today’s theme is particularly effective for several reasons. First, it’s universally relatable—everyone has experienced cold symptoms and knows the frustration of needing tissues constantly. This shared experience makes the theme satisfying once you identify it.
Second, the vocabulary is accessible. While words like WHEEZE and HACK might require a bit more thought, most of the words (SNEEZE, COUGH, DRIP, SNIFFLE) are everyday vocabulary that most English speakers use regularly. This balance between challenge and accessibility makes the puzzle enjoyable for solvers of various skill levels.
Third, the theme has clear boundaries. Once you understand you’re looking for cold symptoms, you have a well-defined category to work within. You’re not searching for vague “winter words” or overly broad “health terms” but specifically symptoms of a cold, which narrows your mental search considerably.
Finally, the theme is timely. December is prime cold and flu season in much of the world, making this theme particularly relevant and resonant with what many people are experiencing or seeing around them.
More Daily Puzzle Games
Completed today’s Strands and want more challenges? Check out these other daily puzzles:
Word Games
- Wordle 1653 for December 28, 2025 – The classic five-letter word puzzle
- Quordle for December 28, 2025 – Four Wordles at once
Geography Puzzles
- Worldle for December 28, 2025 – Guess countries from their silhouettes
- Globle for December 28, 2025 – Find countries with distance clues
Music Challenges
- Bandle for December 28, 2025 – Identify songs from isolated instruments
The Appeal of Themed Word Puzzles
NYT Strands represents a evolution in word puzzle design. While traditional word searches simply hide words in a grid, Strands adds layers of complexity and satisfaction. The thematic element engages your conceptual thinking—you’re not just pattern-matching letters but actively thinking about categories, connections, and meanings.
The requirement that every letter be used exactly once creates an elegant constraint. Unlike traditional word searches where unused letters are random filler, Strands feels more like a jigsaw puzzle where everything has its place. This complete utilization of the grid is deeply satisfying for solvers.
The spangram concept is particularly clever. It provides a clear goal beyond just finding individual words—you’re searching for that perfect phrase that encapsulates everything. When you finally spot the spangram, there’s a wonderful “aha!” moment where the entire puzzle’s design clicks into place.
Tips for When You’re Stuck
Everyone gets stuck on Strands occasionally. Here’s what to do:
Take a break: Sometimes stepping away for a few minutes and returning with fresh eyes makes words suddenly appear.
Focus on word endings: Common endings like -ED, -ING, -TION, or -NESS can help you spot words backward from their endings.
Think about word families: If you found COUGH, think about similar words like WHEEZE or HACK that might be nearby.
Use the hint system: Remember, finding three non-theme words reveals a theme word. Sometimes you just need that one breakthrough to see the rest.
Work systematically: If random searching isn’t working, try starting from each corner and methodically tracing possible paths.
Final Thoughts
Today’s NYT Strands puzzle with the theme “Load up on tissues” offered a relatable and well-constructed challenge. The cold symptom theme is perfectly suited for this time of year, and the vocabulary range from obvious (SNEEZE, COUGH) to slightly trickier (HACK, SNORT) provided good balance.
The spangram COLD SYMPTOM ties everything together with satisfying clarity. It’s explicit enough that there’s no ambiguity once you find it, yet finding it requires connecting those letters across the grid in the right pattern.
Did you solve today’s Strands? Which word did you find first? Which one eluded you the longest? Each puzzle offers a unique solving experience, and part of the fun is comparing strategies and approaches with other solvers. Come back tomorrow for hints and answers to the next NYT Strands puzzle!
Stay healthy, keep those tissues handy, and happy puzzling!
See you for tomorrow’s NYT Strands challenge!
