New York Times Strands Hints and Answers for December 25, 2024

Today's Strands puzzle, themed "A Visit From Santa," challenges players to uncover nine words hidden within a letter grid. This guide provides hints, partial solutions, and the complete answer to help you conquer this Christmas Day challenge.

The NYT Games Strands Puzzle #297 (December 25, 2024)

The puzzle's clue is A Visit From Santa. Nine words are to be found: a pangram and eight themed words.

New York Times Games Strands Clues

The following sections offer escalating hints, each revealing a word upon expansion:

General Hint 1

Hint 1: What might Santa bring?

[read more - Hint 1: Consider typical gifts from Santa.]

General Hint 2

Hint 2: Small gifts.

[read more - Hint 2: Think of small, easily-gifted items.]

General Hint 3

Hint 3: Small gifts to fill your sock-like decorations.

[read more - Hint 3: The gifts are small enough for stockings.]

Spoilers for Two Words

These sections provide spoilers for two words, including their placement within the grid:

Spoiler 1

Word 1: Candy

[read more - Spoiler 1: Shows the location of "Candy" in the grid.]

Spoiler 2

Word 2: Toys

[read more - Spoiler 2: Shows the location of "Toys" in the grid.]

Complete Solution

This section reveals the full solution, including all themed words and their positions:

The category is Stocking. The words are Toys, Plushie, Orange, Socks, Scarf, Coal, Candy, and Pens.

[read more - Complete Solution: Shows all words and their locations.]

Puzzle Explanation

This section explains the connection between the theme and the clue:

"A Visit from Santa" implies gifts, specifically those small enough for a Stocking. All themed words represent common stocking stuffers.

[read more - Explanation: Details the thematic link between the clue and the solution.]

Ready to play? Visit the New York Times Games Strands website.