What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
This is the Sunday, November 16, 2025, NYT Strands puzzle, game #623. Its theme clue is “Around it goes.” Start with the hint below if you are still solving; the spangram and all six theme answers follow in separate spoiler sections.
Check the date and number before reading on: this guide is for November 16, not the November 15 puzzle. The StrandsSolution archive and Forbes’ guide published November 15, 2025 identify the November 16 game as #623.
Theme hint for Strands #623
“Around it goes” is the published theme clue. Think of things that can go around food or around a person’s body. That distinction points toward two groups of words, without giving away the board’s answers.
Spoiler: the spangram
THATSAWRAP
Spoiler: all six theme answers
- CELLOPHANE
- FLATBREAD
- FOIL
- SCARF
- SHAWL
- STOLE
How the answers fit the theme
Cellophane and foil can wrap food, and flatbread can be used to wrap food. A scarf, shawl, or stole can be worn around the body. That grouping explains the connection among the answer words; it is an interpretation of the list, not an official explanation quoted from the puzzle.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →#1 Best Overall
About the board
Strands is a word-search-style puzzle played on a six-by-eight grid, as described in the Forbes guide. No verified letter path or board coordinates for this particular game are available here, so the answer list does not imply a specific route through the grid.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Rank #3
Rank #2
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.




