NYT Strands hints, answers for December 9, 2025
In today’s edition of the New York Times Strands, NBA enthusiasts will find the hints particularly accessible, thanks to the puzzle’s sports-themed focus. Strands, the NYT’s innovative word-search game, challenges players to connect letters in various directions—up, down, left, right, and diagonally—while allowing for changes in direction that create intricate shapes and patterns. This unique twist on the classic word search ensures that every letter in the grid contributes to the solution, making for a more engaging and brain-teasing experience. Unlike other NYT games like Wordle and Connections, Strands requires players to decipher an opaque hint without a provided word list, adding an extra layer of challenge that often demands a longer time investment.
Today’s theme, “On the Court,” is unmistakably linked to basketball, one of America’s most popular sports. Players are tasked with uncovering words that encapsulate the essence of the game, such as “rebound,” “dunk,” and “dribble.” The spangram for today, which is a key word or phrase that summarizes the theme and spans the grid, is “Basketball,” cleverly placed horizontally. This thematic focus not only enhances the gameplay experience for basketball fans but also serves as an excellent introduction for those who may not be as familiar with the sport. The inclusion of terms like “block,” “screen,” and “guard” enriches the puzzle, offering players a chance to engage with basketball vocabulary while honing their word search skills.
For those who may find themselves stuck or short on time, the NYT Strands hints provide valuable assistance to navigate today’s puzzle at a comfortable pace. The game is designed to be enjoyed over a leisurely 10 minutes or more, making it a perfect way to unwind while stimulating the mind. Additionally, for fans of other daily games, Mashable’s Games page offers a wealth of options, including Mahjong, Sudoku, and free crosswords, ensuring that there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Whether you’re a seasoned Strands player or new to the game, today’s basketball-themed puzzle promises to be both challenging and fun, inviting players to explore the world of sports through the lens of wordplay.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2c_m55ZaKE
Today’s NYT Strands hints are easy if you’re an NBA fan.
Strands
, the
New York Times
‘ elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There’s always a theme linking every solution, along with the “spangram,” a special, word or phrase that sums up that day’s theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.
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Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable
By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like
Wordle
and
Connections
.
If you’re feeling stuck or just don’t have 10 or more minutes to figure out today’s puzzle, we’ve got all the NYT Strands hints for today’s puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.
SEE ALSO:
Wordle today: Answer, hints for December 9, 2025
SEE ALSO:
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for December 9, 2025
NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: On the court
The words are related to sports.
Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained
These words describe a popular American sport.
NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?
Today’s NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.
NYT Strands spangram answer today
Today’s spangram is
Basketball.
NYT Strands word list for December 9
Rebound
Block
Basketball
Jump
Dunk
Screen
Guard
Dribble
Looking for other daily online games?
Mashable’s Games page
has more hints, a
nd if you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now!
Check out our
games hub
for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after?
Here’s the solution to today’s Strands.
