The November 28, 2025, NYT Strands puzzle is game #635. Its theme clue is “If all else fails …” and its spangram is MAKEAWISH. Start with the progressive hints below if you want to solve it yourself; the full answer list follows.
Hints for November 28, 2025
These hints move from general to specific. Stop when you have enough help.
- Theme clue: “If all else fails …”
- Words that unlock in-game hints: SHOW, TIDY, BUGLE, SLEW, WEAK, LAKE.
- Spangram length: nine letters.
- Spangram endpoints: it starts on the right side in the third row and ends on the left side in the sixth row.
Answers and spangram
Spangram: MAKEAWISH
Theme words: COIN, FOUNTAIN, LADYBUG, STAR, DANDELION, EYELASH.
The answer set connects to familiar wishing or luck-related customs: tossing a coin into a fountain, wishing on a star or eyelash, and making wishes with a ladybug or dandelion. That is a reading of the words, not a claim about the origins or effectiveness of these customs.
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How Strands hints work
According to Tom’s Guide’s Strands explainer, finding three valid words of at least four letters that are not theme answers earns an in-game hint. The hint highlights the letters of an unsolved theme word, but you still need to trace their path on the board. The spangram is a word or short phrase describing the theme that touches two opposite sides of the 6-by-8 grid.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which November 28 puzzle is this?
The title’s date refers to Friday, November 28, 2025, puzzle #635. TechRadar’s dated answer page and StrandsSolution’s November 28, 2025 solution report the same puzzle and answer set. November 28, 2026 is in the future as of October 8, 2026, so the year matters when looking up the answers.
New-puzzle timing can vary in how it is described: TechRadar says a puzzle appears at midnight in each time zone, while Tom’s Guide describes the release as midnight Eastern. Check the official game for the current puzzle rather than treating either description as a universal release time. Tom’s Guide also describes daily play as free and access to the archive as subscription-gated; check NYT Games for current access terms.
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