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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →For Thursday, November 20, 2025, NYT Strands is game #627, with the theme “Busybody buzz.” The spangram is SPREAD THE WORD. Start with the hints below if you want to solve it yourself; the complete answer list appears after the spoiler break.
Hints for the November 20 Strands puzzle
The theme points to ways information or gossip gets passed around. Forbes columnist Paul Tassi offered the extra nudge “Does not involve bees”; that is his clue, not an official NYT hint. Forbes reports the puzzle’s theme clue as “Busybody buzz,” while The Economic Times reports the in-game hint text as “tittle-tattle.”
For a gentler nudge, TechRadar suggests trying these non-theme words to earn in-game hints: TRAY, SPORE, HARE, HEAD, CUTE, DEAR. A secondary rules guide says that finding three valid non-theme words earns a hint highlighting the letters of an unsolved theme word; you still have to trace the word’s path yourself.
Spangram hint
The spangram is a phrase about passing news along. Forbes reports that it starts with GO, while The Economic Times describes its route across the grid as horizontal, from right to left.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsSpoiler break: full answers
Stop here if you are still solving. The complete theme-word set is:
- GOSSIP
- RUMOR
- REPORT
- SCUTTLEBUTT
- HEARSAY
Spangram: SPREAD THE WORD
How the answer list was reconciled
TechRadar’s enumerated list includes RUMOR, GOSSIP, REPORT and HEARSAY, and its narrative also mentions SCUTTLEBUTT. Forbes includes SCUTTLEBUTT in its complete answer list, so it belongs with the five theme words above.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How Strands works
Strands is a word-search-style game played on a 6-by-8 letter grid. You trace words connected to the day’s theme; the spangram is a special word or phrase that spans opposite sides of the board and expresses that theme. The reported route for this puzzle’s spangram is horizontal, right to left.
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