Spoiler warning: The answers for the December 3, 2024, New York Times Strands puzzle appear below.
Puzzle #275’s theme was “Lead the way.” Its spangram was ILLUMINATION, and the five other theme answers were CANDLE, FLASHLIGHT, HEADLAMP, LANTERN and TORCH.
Hints for Strands #275
- Take “Lead the way” as a reference to seeing in the dark.
- Look for familiar objects that produce or direct light.
- The word connecting the theme is the broader concept of light: illumination.
Full answer list
- Spangram: ILLUMINATION
- Theme words: CANDLE, FLASHLIGHT, HEADLAMP, LANTERN, TORCH
The five theme words are light sources or lighting devices. ILLUMINATION is the broader idea that connects them, rather than another object in the set. The answer set and theme are reported by Try Hard Guides and Parade; a December 2024 puzzle archive also identifies December 3 as #275.
How the Strands clues work
In Strands, players find theme words on a letter board, with a spangram that describes the theme and reaches two opposite sides. Parade attributes these gameplay directions to the New York Times and says that finding three non-theme words earns a hint. This is a paraphrase of the instructions as reported by Parade, not an official rules quotation.
Quick Recap
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