NYT Strands continues to be the New York Times’ cozy, clever daily word-search-style puzzle. For 27 November 2025, the theme “With gratitude” set a heartfelt tone, with words tied to things we appreciate in life. The puzzle also included a neatly integrated spangram that pulled the whole idea together.
27 November 2025 NYT Strands Theme: “With gratitude”
This theme leaned into the spirit of thankfulness, featuring meaningful, everyday elements people value. The grid felt straightforward but satisfying, with a couple of short words tucked between longer sentiment-based entries. The emotional cohesiveness made it a pleasant and reflective solve.

27 November 2025 NYT Strands: Hints
- Think about the people and connections that matter most in daily life.
- Look for simple, positive concepts often mentioned in gratitude lists.
- The grid hides both short and longer words tied to well-being.
- A couple of words relate to groups or bonds rather than individuals.
- Spangram: a single word tying together the idea of appreciation and thankfulness.
27 November 2025 NYT Strands: Answers
- friends
- family
- life
- community
- health
- work
Spangram
thankful
A concise, fitting spangram that unites all the gratitude-themed words, capturing the core emotion running through the entire puzzle.

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
- Start with obvious words. Look for clear connections to the theme first.
- Scan diagonals early. Strands loves to hide words at an angle.
- Build around found words. Once one word is cleared, the leftover letters often point to the next.
- Use hints wisely. Earn them steadily by spotting extra words, then save them for when you’re truly stuck.
- Think about synonyms. The theme clue isn’t always literal — broaden your thinking.
Final Thoughts
Today’s Strands was gentle and uplifting, offering a theme perfectly suited to the season. The clear, heartfelt vocabulary made for a smooth but satisfying solve. How many did you uncover before checking the answers?
Discussion