NYT Strands Hints and Answers for Saturday, November 22, 2025 (Game #629)

These are the hints and answers for the Saturday, November 22, 2025, edition of NYT Strands, game #629. The theme is “Ivy League.” If you want to solve it yourself, start with the gentle hint below; the full word list follows.

Gentle hint for Strands #629

Think of well-known Ivy League university mascots and nicknames. This is a nudge toward the theme, not a clue quoted from the puzzle.

#	Preview	Product	Price
1		Puzzle Mania!: Wordle, Connections, Spelling Bee, Minis and More! (New York Times Games Books)	$26.60	Buy on Amazon
2		The New York Times Strictly Medium Crossword Puzzles Volume 1: 200 Medium Puzzles	$7.75	Buy on Amazon
3		New York Times Games Monday Through Friday 50 Easy to Tough Crossword Puzzles Volume 10 (New York...	$8.48	Buy on Amazon
4		The New York Times Monday Through Friday Easy to Tough Crossword Puzzles: 50 Puzzles from the Pages...	$13.98	Buy on Amazon
5		The New York Times Mini Crosswords, Volume 1: 150 Easy Fun-Sized Puzzles	$9.15	Buy on Amazon

Clue words for in-game hints

Find these words on the board to earn the puzzle’s in-game hints:

• BURKA
• SPURS
• BLEAT
• MAILER
• SQUARE
• START

Spangram

SPORTSTEAM is the spangram. TechRadar describes its route as running from the top edge at the third column to the bottom edge at the third column. Source: TechRadar’s November 22, 2025 Strands answers.

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All theme-word answers

• TIGERS
• CRIMSON
• QUAKERS
• LIONS
• BEARS
• BULLDOGS

The theme and answer list are also recorded in the Strands Solution archive.

Quick Recap

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Puzzle Mania!: Wordle, Connections, Spelling Bee, Minis and More! (New York Times Games Books)

$26.60

SaleBestseller No. 2

The New York Times Strictly Medium Crossword Puzzles Volume 1: 200 Medium Puzzles

$7.75

SaleBestseller No. 3

New York Times Games Monday Through Friday 50 Easy to Tough Crossword Puzzles Volume 10 (New York Times Super Sunday Crosswords, 10)

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SaleBestseller No. 4

The New York Times Monday Through Friday Easy to Tough Crossword Puzzles: 50 Puzzles from the Pages of The New York Times (New York Times Crossword Puzzles)

$13.98

SaleBestseller No. 5

The New York Times Mini Crosswords, Volume 1: 150 Easy Fun-Sized Puzzles

$9.15

Best Value

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The New York Times Mini Crosswords, Volume 1: 150 Easy Fun-Sized Puzzles

$9.15

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Rank #4

Sale

The New York Times Monday Through Friday Easy to Tough Crossword Puzzles: 50 Puzzles from the Pages of The New York Times (New York Times Crossword Puzzles)

$13.98

Buy on Amazon

Rank #3

Sale

New York Times Games Monday Through Friday 50 Easy to Tough Crossword Puzzles Volume 10 (New York Times Super Sunday Crosswords, 10)

$8.48

Buy on Amazon

Rank #2

Sale

The New York Times Strictly Medium Crossword Puzzles Volume 1: 200 Medium Puzzles

$7.75

Buy on Amazon

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