Today’s NYT Strands puzzle brings a heartfelt and hopeful theme across its 6×8 letter grid — perfect for those who enjoy a bit of whimsy with their word-games. The theme, “If all else fails…”, nudges solvers toward words associated with making wishes — little rituals, objects of luck, and symbolic gestures. As you hunt letters, you’ll uncover a mix of nature-based symbols and everyday objects tied to hope and luck, culminating in a meaningful spangram that captures the spirit of wishing. Whether you pick up the spangram early or piece together the smaller words gradually, this edition offers a blend of nostalgia, optimism, and satisfying puzzle logic.
What is NYT Strands?
NYT Strands is a daily word-search style puzzle from The New York Times. Players are given a 6 × 8 grid and a thematic hint. Their task: find a set of theme-related words by connecting letters in any direction (horizontally, vertically, diagonally), and — once those are found — locate the special “spangram,” a longer word or phrase that spans from one edge of the grid to another. Once the spangram and all theme words are discovered, the puzzle is complete.
The challenge combines vocabulary recall, pattern-finding, and a thematic puzzle twist — often rewarding solvers with an “aha” moment when the theme clicks.
Today’s Theme – “If all else fails …”
For November 28, 2025 (game #635), the theme is “If all else fails …”.
This theme evokes the idea of wishing — as in tossing a coin into a fountain, spotting a shooting star, or making a quiet wish on a fallen eyelash. The words hidden in the puzzle today reflect these little rituals and symbols people often associate with hope, luck, and desire.
Hints for Today (Non-Spoiler)
If you want to solve today’s puzzle yourself without jumping straight to the answers, here are some helpful hints:
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Look for objects or symbols tied to wishing or luck — things you might associate with a wish or a hopeful thought.
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Expect a mix of nature-related words (plants, insects, sky objects) and everyday objects or luck-symbols.
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The spangram is horizontal, running right to left.
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The spangram begins with “MA…” — a good anchor when scanning for long connected letters.
These clues should help you spot a few of the simpler theme words first (like “coin” or “star”), which often makes tracing the rest easier.
Spoiler Section: Answers & Spangram
(Skip this if you’d rather solve on your own.)
🧵 Spangram: MAKEAWISH
🎯 Theme Words (Hidden in the Grid):
| Word | Why it fits the theme |
|---|---|
| COIN | People toss a coin — often into a fountain — when making a wish. |
| FOUNTAIN | A classic wishing-spot: throw a coin in, make a wish. |
| STAR | People wish on stars — a timeless symbol of hope. |
| LADYBUG | In many cultures, spotting a ladybug is considered good luck — a little sign to hope. |
| DANDELION | Blowing a dandelion’s seeds and wishing is a childhood ritual many know well. |
| EYELASH | A fallen eyelash blown away while making a silent wish — a subtle wish-making symbol. |
Together, these words — plus the spangram “MAKEAWISH” — evoke common wish-making rituals, tying the puzzle into a cohesive, optimistic theme about hope and desire.
Strategy Tips for Future Puzzles
Here are a few strategies you can apply — for today and future Strands puzzles — to increase your speed and enjoy more “aha” moments:
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Start with obvious thematic anchors — here, common wish-symbols like “coin,” “star,” “fountain.” Once you find one, you anchor the rest of your search.
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Scan diagonals and reverse directions — Strands often hides words along less obvious paths. Don’t just check straight lines.
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Use small distinct letter clusters first — short or unique words are easier to spot and often lead you to the spangram path.
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Build around found words — once a word is found, adjacent unused letters often belong to other theme words. This reduces the search area.
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Keep theme in mind — thematically connected words often share a conceptual space (like luck, wishes, objects, rituals). Treat the theme as a hint for word types, not just letter sequences.
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If stuck, use non-theme words to unlock hints — sometimes plucking out a few “regular” words gives the game’s built-in hint system a boost, which helps nudge you toward harder theme words.
Final Thoughts
Today’s NYT Strands (Nov 28, 2025) offers a charming and uplifting experience — weaving together common wish-making symbols and childhood rituals under the soft theme of hope and desire. For solvers across the US, UK and India, the puzzle combines a familiar emotional resonance (“make a wish”) with satisfying word-search mechanics.
If you solved it unaided — congratulations! If you needed a few nudges, hopefully this guide helped. Either way, it’s a good reminder that sometimes the simplest themes — wishes, luck, hope — make for the most memorable puzzles.
I’ll be back tomorrow with the next edition’s full breakdown.
