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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →NYT Strands puzzle #287, for Sunday, December 15, 2024, has the theme “Moonlighting.” The spangram is LUNAR PHASE, and it runs from the left edge of the board to the right. Start with the hints below; the complete answer list is marked as a spoiler.
Hints for Strands #287
Use these clues in order, stopping before the answers if you want to keep solving:
- The theme is “Moonlighting”: think of the Moon’s changing shapes and stages.
- The spangram clue is “Satellite stages.”
- The spangram connects the left and right edges of the grid. TechRadar places both ends on row five.
How Strands hints work
Letters are selected by dragging or tapping, and completed theme words stay highlighted. The spangram describes the theme and connects two opposite sides of the board; it can contain two words. Parade’s guide, reproducing instructions attributed to The New York Times, says finding three non-theme words earns a hint that reveals the letters of a theme word. [Parade]
Spoiler: December 15, 2024 Strands answers
The six regular theme words are:
- WAXING
- WANING
- CRESCENT
- FULL
- QUARTER
- GIBBOUS
The spangram is LUNAR PHASE (sometimes written without a space as LUNARPHASE). Together, it completes the seven theme entries: six regular words and the spangram.
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