NYT Strands hints and answers for Monday, December 22 (game #659)

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing ‘today’s game’ while others are playing ‘yesterday’s’. If you’re looking for Sunday’s puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Sunday, December 21 (game #658).

Strands is the NYT’s latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it’s great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc’s Wordle today page for the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don’t read on if you don’t want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #659) – hint #1 – today’s theme

What is the theme of today’s NYT Strands?

Today’s NYT Strands theme is… Pass it along

NYT Strands today (game #659) – hint #2 – clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

  • WEDGE
  • WING
  • KNOB
  • RACE
  • GOON
  • LINEN

NYT Strands today (game #659) – hint #3 – spangram letters

How many letters are in today’s spangram?

Spangram has 9 letters

NYT Strands today (game #659) – hint #4 – spangram position

What are two sides of the board that today’s spangram touches?

First side: left, 4th row

Last side: right, 3rd row

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #659) – the answers

NYT Strands answers for game 659 on a blue background

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today’s Strands, game #659, are…

  • SCARF
  • BOOK
  • CANDLE
  • GADGET
  • WINE
  • LOTION
  • EARRINGS
  • SPANGRAM: REGIFTING
  • My rating: Easy
  • My score: Perfect

An easy game today, but a depressing one. There is only one thing I find sadder than a disappointing meal and that’s unwanted gifts. 

It’s sad on multiple levels, as the person buying has spent their well-earned money on something you don’t like and secondly it’s depressing because they don’t know or like you enough to have bought you something you might like. I mean, who wants a CANDLE, really? 

Worst of all is the pretence of thanking someone, when you both know full well that you will be REGIFTING it to some other poor soul and thus continuing the neverending circle of terrible gifts.

Yesterday’s NYT Strands answers (Sunday, December 21, game #658)

  • HUFF
  • PUFF
  • BRICKS
  • STICKS
  • STRAW
  • BLOW
  • DOWN
  • SPANGRAM: THREELITTLEPIGS

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT’s not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It’s now a fully fledged member of the NYT’s games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I’ve got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you’re struggling to beat it each day.

Read more @ TechRadar

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