• Today’s NYT Strands theme is… Keeping the faith
NYT Strands today — my hints, answers and spangram for Saturday, December 21 (game #293)
Strands is the NYT’s latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it’s great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.
Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc’s Wordle today page for the original viral word game.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don’t read on if you don’t want to know the answers.
NYT Strands today (game #293) – hint #1 – today’s theme
What is the theme of today’s NYT Strands?
NYT Strands today (game #293) – hint #2 – clue words
Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
- MELT
- STEEP
- MORE
- SEEP
- SEED
- PREY
NYT Strands today (game #293) – hint #3 – spangram
What is a hint for today’s spangram?
• Places of worship
NYT Strands today (game #293) – hint #4 – spangram position
What are two sides of the board that today’s spangram touches?
First side: right, 4th row
Last side: left, 6th row
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Strands today (game #293) – the answers

The answers to today’s Strands, game #293, are…
- ABBEY
- TABERNACLE
- MOSQUE
- TEMPLE
- MONASTERY
- SPANGRAM: SACRED SPACES
- My rating: Easy
- My score: Perfect
Today’s theme was an obvious one, but for one fleeting moment I thought Strands could be paying tribute to the Northern Soul musical movement of the 1970s, whose slogan was Keeping The Faith.
Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.
The scene is quite an anomaly in the history of British music and was centered around a handful of SACRED SPACES (night clubs) in northern English towns, which put on all-nighters playing rare soul records – and the rarer the better. Despite being relatively short lived it had a huge legacy, thanks to the music and the passion and fervour of its followers.
Right, Strands done, I’m off to listen to Tainted Love.
How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.
Yesterday’s NYT Strands answers (Friday, 20 December, game #292)
- LOOP
- FLAKE
- CHARM
- SMACK
- PEBBLE
- CRUNCH
- CHEERIO
- SPANGRAM: CEREAL
What is NYT Strands?
Strands is the NYT’s new word game, following Wordle and Connections. It’s now out of beta so is a fully fledged member of the NYT’s games stable and can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
I’ve got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you’re struggling to beat it each day.
Strands is the NYT’s latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it’s great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints. Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints…
Recent Posts
- NordVPN Coupons and Deals: 77% Off in June 2026
- You don’t need to spend a fortune on good audio — these 20 headphones under AU$100 have hundreds of 5-star user reviews
- Nintendo confirms it will sell a new Switch 2 with replaceable battery in the EU
- Apple begins requiring age verification for App Store use in Texas
- The co-creator of Scavengers Reign is working on a new show for Netflix
Archives
- June 2026
- May 2026
- April 2026
- March 2026
- February 2026
- January 2026
- December 2025
- November 2025
- October 2025
- September 2025
- August 2025
- July 2025
- June 2025
- May 2025
- April 2025
- March 2025
- February 2025
- January 2025
- December 2024
- November 2024
- October 2024
- September 2024
- August 2024
- July 2024
- June 2024
- May 2024
- April 2024
- March 2024
- February 2024
- January 2024
- December 2023
- November 2023
- October 2023
- September 2023
- August 2023
- July 2023
- June 2023