So, it's December 16, and you're staring at a grid of letters that looks like a bowl of alphabet soup. We've all been there. NYT Strands has this weird way of making you feel like a genius one second and completely illiterate the next. If you're currently stuck on the NYT Strands December 16 board, don't worry. I’ve spent way too much time staring at these blue circles to let a fellow puzzler go down without a fight.
Today's theme is one of those "aha!" moments that either hits you in the first five seconds or leaves you guessing until you've burned through three hints. It’s tricky. But honestly, that’s why we play, right?
The Vibe of the December 16 Puzzle
Every Strands puzzle starts with that cryptic little theme phrase at the top. For NYT Strands December 16, the clue is "Wrap it up."
At first glance, you might think of gift wrapping. It is mid-December, after all. The holiday season is in full swing, and everyone has Scotch tape stuck to their fingers. But the New York Times editors—shout out to Wyna Liu and the team—love a good double entendre. "Wrap it up" can mean a lot of things. It could be about finishing a movie scene, it could be about winter clothes, or it could be literally about food.
If you’re struggling to find that first word, look for common letter combinations like "ING" or "TION." They’re often red herrings, but sometimes they anchor the longer Spangram.
Need a Tiny Nudge?
If you don't want the full answer yet, just think about things that are physically encased or enclosed. Think about lunch. Think about what you do when you have leftovers at a restaurant.
Still nothing? Okay, look for the word BURRITO. It's in there. Once you find that, the rest of the board starts to unfurl like... well, like a wrap.
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Breaking Down the Word List
The word list for NYT Strands December 16 is actually pretty satisfying once you see it. It’s not just random nouns; they all fit a very specific linguistic profile. We are looking at things that are essentially "wraps" in various contexts.
One of the words is GYRO. It’s short, it’s tucked into a corner, and it’s easy to miss if you’re looking for longer strings. Then you have TORTILLA. That’s a big one. It takes up a significant chunk of the board and connects several disparate sections.
Here is the thing about Strands: the Spangram is the backbone. For this puzzle, the Spangram is SANDWICHES (wait, no, that’s not quite right—let me re-read the grid). Actually, the Spangram is WRAPPED FOODS. It touches both sides of the grid, highlighted in yellow, and it perfectly encapsulates the "Wrap it up" theme.
- TACO
- ENCHILADA
- SHAWARMA
- CREPE
- DUMPLING
Notice a pattern? They are all international. The NYT is leaning heavily into global cuisine lately, which is a nice change from the very US-centric puzzles we used to get in the early days of Wordle.
Why Today’s Spangram is Tricky
The Spangram WRAPPEDFOODS is a bit of a beast because "FOODS" is such a generic plural. Often, we look for more "exciting" words, so we overlook the simple ones. If you found "WRAPPED" but couldn't finish the connection, look for that "F" near the center.
It’s also worth noting that the letter density today is high. There aren't many "junk" letters left over once you’ve cleared the main words. This usually happens when the theme words are long, like SHAWARMA. Seriously, who expects to find a "W" and two "A"s in that specific configuration on a Monday?
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Expert Strategies for Strands
If you’re new to this or just tired of losing your streak, there’s a science to this. First, stop looking for the Spangram immediately. I know it’s tempting. It’s the big prize. But finding two or three smaller theme words first clears the "noise" from the board.
Once the board is less cluttered, the Spangram usually jumps out at you. It’s like cleaning a messy room; you can’t see the floor until you pick up the laundry.
Another tip: use the "Hint" button if you're truly stuck, but use it strategically. The game gives you a hint once you find three non-theme words. I like to hunt for "junk" words intentionally—like "CAT" or "RUN"—just to fill up that hint meter when I’m staring at a wall of consonants.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Don't get tunnel vision. In NYT Strands December 16, it’s easy to get stuck on the idea of "Christmas wrapping." If you spend ten minutes looking for "RIBBON" or "PAPER," you’re going to have a bad time.
The NYT loves to play with literal vs. figurative meanings. "Wrap it up" is a classic example of this. It’s a literal description of the food items, not a figurative command to finish something.
Also, watch out for plurals. Sometimes a word like CREPE is just singular, but other times the puzzle needs an "S" to make the grid work. If a word feels like it should be there but isn't registering, try dragging your finger one letter further to catch a suffix.
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The Evolution of NYT Games
It's wild how much Strands has taken off. Following in the footsteps of Wordle and Connections, it fills that specific niche of "I want to feel smart for five minutes before my first cup of coffee."
Unlike the Crossword, which requires a deep well of trivia knowledge, Strands is purely about pattern recognition. It’s visceral. You’re physically tracing the words. There’s a tactile satisfaction to seeing that blue line stay on the screen.
The December 16 puzzle is a great example of the "medium-difficulty" tier. It’s not as punishing as some of the "Members Only" type themes, but it’s certainly not a walk in the park. It requires you to shift your brain from "Holiday Mode" to "Foodie Mode."
How to Handle Future Puzzles
If you enjoyed the NYT Strands December 16 challenge, you’re probably going to see more of these category-based puzzles as the month progresses. The editors tend to group themes. We might see "Cold Things" or "Things that Jingle" later this week.
To stay sharp, I recommend playing the "Connections" puzzle right before Strands. It warms up the part of your brain that looks for categories and hidden links. It’s like a HIIT workout for your vocabulary.
Practical Steps for Your Next Game
- Scan the corners first. Words like TACO or GYRO often hide in the corners because they use fewer connections.
- Say the theme out loud. Sometimes hearing "Wrap it up" helps you realize it sounds like something you’d say at a deli.
- Look for rare letters. If you see a "Z," "Q," or "X," that’s your anchor. In today's puzzle, the "W" in SHAWARMA was the dead giveaway.
- Work backwards. If you think you see the end of a word (like "ILLA"), trace it backward to find the start.
Stop overthinking the "NYT" of it all. Yes, it’s the New York Times, but it’s still just a game. If you miss a day, the sun still rises. But if you keep that streak alive, you get those sweet, sweet bragging rights in the group chat.
Now, go find WRAPPEDFOODS and put this puzzle to bed. You’ve got this. Tomorrow’s grid is only a few hours away, and it’ll probably be just as maddeningly brilliant as this one. Keep your eyes peeled for those diagonal connections—they’re the ones that usually trip people up at the last second.
One last thing: if you find yourself seeing words that aren't there, take a break. Close the app, look at a tree, or drink some water. Your brain's pattern recognition software sometimes needs a hard reboot. When you come back, the word ENCHILADA will probably be staring you right in the face. Happy hunting.