The New York Times Strands puzzle for December 18 (#655) presents a moderately challenging word-finding experience. This guide provides hints, solutions, and an overview of the puzzle’s mechanics for players seeking assistance.
Understanding Strands
Strands is a logic puzzle where the goal is to identify hidden words within a grid of letters. The catch? Words must fit a specific theme to be counted towards completion. The puzzle provides hints as you discover longer words (four letters or more) – revealing theme words one by one. A final “spangram” word connects the entire grid, using every letter.
Today’s Theme and Hints
Today’s Strands theme is Natural Remedies. The core idea is health-related solutions found in nature.
If you’re stuck, consider words associated with wellness, traditional medicine, or natural healing practices. A secondary clue is: Healthy by nature.
Useful Words to Unlock Hints
To activate in-game hints, find any word with four or more letters. Here are examples from today’s puzzle:
- MILE
- MILD
- GARB
- MEER
- REEL
- MELD
- REED
- REEDY
- HONE
- LICE
- RICE
- RICER
- RICERS
Complete Solutions for December 18
The non-spangram answers for today’s Strands puzzle are:
- HONEY
- LEMON
- GARLIC
- TURMERIC
- ELDERBERRY
The spangram, which spans the entire grid, is IMMUNEBOOSTERS. Locate the leftmost “I” on the top row and trace down to reveal the full word.
Puzzle Difficulty: Past Challenges
Some Strands topics have proven notoriously difficult for players. Two examples include:
- Dated Slang (Jan. 21): The puzzle required knowledge of obsolete slang terms, with “PHAT” being the toughest word to identify.
- Thar She Blows! (Jan. 15): Marine-related vocabulary was essential, making “BALEEN” or “RIGHT” the most challenging words for many.
The Strands puzzle tests both vocabulary and pattern recognition skills. The combination of theme-based word searching and spangram completion creates a unique experience for daily solvers.
