Today’s NYT Strands served up a charming set of entries tied to Aesop’s animal cast. The grid hid familiar creatures from classic fables — some quick, some hulking, and a few surprisingly small — all orbiting a short spangram that ties the list together. If you love literary animals, this one felt delightfully on-theme.

11 November 2025 NYT Strands Theme: “Aesop's Animals”

This theme leaned into well-known characters from Aesop’s fables, so expect common animal names rather than obscure species. The constructor picked a nice mix of sizes and speeds — from the tiny gnat to the steady tortoise — and the spangram framed them with a literary wink.

11 November 2025 NYT Strands: Hints

  • Think of classic fables and the animals that carry their morals.
  • Look for both small and large animals — the puzzle mixes sizes to mask patterns.
  • Scan the grid for shorter common names first (they often intersect with longer ones).
  • Expect a couple of opposites or pairs (slow vs. fast, small vs. mighty).
  • Spangram ties the list together: keep an eye out for a short, phrase-like answer that uses many letters.

11 November 2025 NYT Strands: Answers

  • mouse (the tiny, oft-overlooked fable character)
  • hare (fast and famously overconfident)
  • crane (a tall bird that appears in several tales)
  • bull (strong, sometimes stubborn)
  • lion (the archetypal king in many fables)
  • gnat (small but memorable)
  • tortoise (steady and persistent)
  • wolf (cunning and oft-antagonistic)

Spangram

FABLED PAIR — A perfect phrase for Aesop’s world, where every animal duo delivers a moral. The spangram links these iconic creatures as timeless storytellers of virtue and folly.

How Strands works

Strands is a daily word search puzzle with a twist:
• You’re given a theme.
• The grid is packed with hidden words tied to that theme.
• Words can run in any direction, including diagonals.
• Once you find all the theme words, you’re done!

Each puzzle usually has around 6-8 theme words.

Tips to become a NYT Strands pro

  1. Start with obvious words. Look for clear connections to the theme first.
  2. Scan diagonals early. Strands loves to hide words at an angle.
  3. Build around found words. Once one word is cleared, the leftover letters often point to the next.
  4. Use hints wisely. Earn them steadily by spotting extra words, then save them for when you’re truly stuck.
  5. Think about synonyms. The theme clue isn’t always literal — broaden your thinking.

Final Thoughts

Today’s puzzle played friendly for anyone familiar with Aesop’s cast — moderate in difficulty, with reassuringly familiar vocabulary and a pleasant spangram that tied everything to the world of fables. How many did you find?