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Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →This is the archived answer guide for NYT Strands game #662, played Thursday, December 25, 2025—not a current-day puzzle. The reported theme hint is “Caroler’s count.” If you want to solve it yourself first, stop at the spoiler break below.
Hints for Strands #662
- Theme hint: “Caroler’s count.” Forbes reports this as the puzzle’s official theme wording.
- Another nudge: “A whole lot of gifts from a true love.”
- Spangram clue: It has 13 letters, starts at the left edge on row 3, and reaches the right edge on row 1.
The carol reference is “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” The theme words are drawn from its sequence, though this grid includes only some of the carol’s gifts and performers. Forbes reported the hints and answers on Dec. 24, 2025; the historical NYT puzzle page was not available for independent confirmation.
How Strands hints work
Strands uses a six-by-eight letter grid. Connect adjacent letters horizontally, vertically, or diagonally to form theme words; every letter belongs to either a theme answer or the spangram. Finding three valid non-theme words of at least four letters unlocks an in-game hint that highlights one theme answer.
For this puzzle, TechRadar listed CHEMIST, DRAMA, STEW, SASSY, SAIL, WIPER, and MASS as words that can help earn hints.
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Spoilers: the December 25 answers
Stop here if you do not want the answers revealed.
The spangram is CHRISTMAS DAYS. Some answer lists present it without a space as CHRISTMASDAYS; both renderings refer to the same answer.
- DRUMMERS
- PIPERS
- MAIDS
- LADIES
- SWANS
- LORDS
Sources and date
The answer set is corroborated by TechRadar’s guide, Forbes’ guide, and Try Hard Guides’ archive. The puzzle is available through the NYT website and NYT Games app, according to Forbes.
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