BREAKING: Today’s NYT Strands drops a cheeky theme that lives up to the headline. December 11 brings “Let me elaborate …” and it is every editor’s favorite power move turned puzzle hook. I have confirmed the spangram, the theme words, and the quickest path to a clean board. If you want help without ruining optional finds, this is your guide.
What dropped in today’s Strands
Strands is the New York Times daily word hunt on a 6 by 8 grid. You snake through letters, horizontal, vertical, or diagonal, to form words around a single theme. One special entry, the spangram, stretches across the board and ties the theme together. Today’s twist leans into add ons, the extra bits writers tack on when they want to say just one more thing.
For Thursday, December 11, the spangram is ANDFURTHERMORE. It is long, it is loud, and it cuts through the grid like a mic drop after a speech.
Spoiler light walkthrough
This puzzle rewards players who lock the spangram early, then sweep up the theme set. Here is the no nonsense route that got my perfect solve.
Spoilers ahead for the spangram and theme words. Optional words are not revealed.
- Scan for anchor clusters that look like AND, MORE, or FURTHER. Track a continuous path until you land ANDFURTHERMORE.
- With the spangram placed, scan edges and corners for pairs that feel like add ons, words that come after the main act.
- Confirm each find by checking that the path does not overlap locked tiles in impossible ways.
- Bank three clean non theme words if you stall, then cash the hint to reveal a theme tile.
The theme grid today is a love letter to bonus text. Expect to see POSTSCRIPT, ADDENDUM, FOOTNOTE, and EPILOGUE. They all fit the idea of adding more, either at the end or off to the side. Nudge yourself toward chunks. For POSTSCRIPT, look for POST or SCRIPT splits that bend around a corner. ADDENDUM often appears once you spot the DDEN cluster, then you curl into U M to finish. FOOTNOTE tends to reveal itself as twin O’s and the NOTE tail. EPILOGUE hides in plain sight if you catch EPI early, then ride into LOGUE.
If a path feels clumsy, it probably is. Back up two letters, then try a diagonal turn. Strands rewards smooth routes.
How players are feeling it
This one hits that sweet loop that daily puzzle fans crave. There is the quick aha when ANDFURTHERMORE locks in, then a tidy sweep through four clean theme words. It feels like a perfect morning coffee solve, fast but not free, with just enough bends to make you trace the board twice.
In community chats, people are sharing safe hints like “check the margins” and “think afterthoughts,” which keeps the vibe friendly without hard spoilers. A few speed solvers are posting sub two minute clears. Others are savoring the editorial flavor, arguing which add on is the most dramatic in fiction. My vote is EPILOGUE, because a great one changes the whole story when you close the app.
Co op solves work well today. One player hunts the spangram, the other sweeps for paired letter chunks like OO or PT.
Pro tips for future Strandies
Strands plays like a live service puzzle, small map, big theme. The best habit is to hunt for the spangram early. It frames the rest of the board and reduces noise. Corners are high value, because many words pivot on them. Use the built in hint system when needed. Three valid non theme words unlock a highlighted theme path, which keeps momentum without spoiling the rest of the grid. And if your board looks jammed, rotate your view or literally tilt your phone. Fresh angles reveal fresh paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is today’s theme?
The theme is “Let me elaborate …,” which points to words that add more information or closure to a main text.
What is today’s spangram?
The spangram is ANDFURTHERMORE. It connects across the board and ties the theme together.
How many theme words are there today?
There are four theme words today. POSTSCRIPT, ADDENDUM, FOOTNOTE, and EPILOGUE.
How do I get a hint without spoiling everything?
Find three valid non theme words of at least four letters. The game will reveal a theme tile to guide your next move.
Does order matter or affect my score?
No. Solve in any order. A clean board with the spangram and theme set is what counts.
Conclusion
Today’s Strands is a tidy editor’s cut, sharp, fair, and satisfying. Lock ANDFURTHERMORE, then scoop up POSTSCRIPT, ADDENDUM, FOOTNOTE, and EPILOGUE to close it out with style. It is a strong daily drop, equal parts wordplay and route planning, and a reminder that sometimes the best move is to add one more line. Moreover, it feels great to hit that final swipe and know you nailed the ending.
