Loading puzzle...

NYT Strands Answer & Hints — “Are you putting me on?”, December 29, 2025

Stuck on the December 29, 2025 NYT Strands puzzle? Here are progressive hints and the full answer for the “Are you putting me on?” puzzle (Strands #359 of 509 in our archive). Every reveal is hidden by default — click to open the ones you need.

Spoiler warning. The answers below are for the December 29, 2025 NYT Strands puzzle. Scroll past this section if you want to solve it yourself first.
Hint 1: The themeReveal

The theme for the December 29, 2025 NYT Strands puzzle is “Are you putting me on?”. Every theme word and the spangram connects back to this phrase, so think about what related words might fit a 6×8 grid of 48 letters before you start scanning.

Hint 2: Spangram length and first letterReveal

The spangram for the “Are you putting me on?” puzzle is 12 letters long and starts with the letter S. It touches two opposite edges of the grid, as every NYT Strands spangram does.

Hint 3: How many theme wordsReveal

Besides the spangram, the December 29, 2025 NYT Strands puzzle has 6 theme words. Together with the spangram, they use every letter on the 6×8 grid exactly once.

Answer: Full spangramReveal

The spangram for the December 29, 2025 NYT Strands “Are you putting me on?” puzzle is SUITYOURSELF. It spans two opposite edges of the 6×8 grid and captures the theme directly.

Answer: All theme wordsReveal

Here are the 6 theme words for the December 29, 2025 NYT Strands “Are you putting me on?” puzzle:

  • BELT
  • CUFFLINKS
  • JACKET
  • SHIRT
  • TROUSERS
  • VEST

Plus the spangram SUITYOURSELF, that’s every word on the grid — all 48 letters accounted for.

Answers for the December 29, 2025 NYT Strands puzzle. Strands Unlimited is an independent fan archive — today's NYT Strands is free on nytimes.com/games/strands.

About the "Are you putting me on?" NYT Strands puzzle

The theme "Are you putting me on?" poses an intriguing question that sets the stage for this Strands puzzle. In the world of word puzzles, question-based themes invite you to think about the answer before scanning the grid — and the spangram often holds the key. The food & drink-themed vocabulary hidden in this grid all connects back to whatever answer the puzzle maker had in mind. Let the question guide your instincts as you search for words.

This puzzle has 6 theme words hidden in the grid — a balanced count that gives you enough to work with without overwhelming the board. The 12-letter spangram is notably long, consuming a good chunk of the grid's 48 letters. Its size makes it easier to find if you focus on the grid's edges. Originally published on a Monday, Puzzle #359 is a more recent addition to the 509+ puzzle archive.

#359
Puzzle Number
6
Theme Words
12
Spangram Letters
Challenging
Difficulty

How to approach "Are you putting me on?"

  • The theme is posed as a question — the spangram often provides the direct answer. Try to answer the question yourself first, then search for that word spanning the grid edges.
  • The long 12-letter spangram is your best starting point. Scan the edges of the grid — the spangram must start on one side and end on the opposite side.
  • Try reading the grid edges clockwise. The spangram's first and last letters will be on opposite edges, and edge letters are the fastest way to identify spangram candidates.
PreviousAll NYT Strands answersNext

More puzzles from December 2025

31 Wed
One good turn deserves another
30 Tue
2025 Top Twenty
28 Sun
Load up on tissues
27 Sat
If you ask me ...
26 Fri
Please hold
25 Thu
Caroler's count
View all December puzzles

More NYT Strands puzzles

Feb 28
Dressing up
Oct 4
Bring it home
Mar 15
Free for all
Jan 14
Bundle up
May 30
We'll be there
May 29
E-I-E-I-O
May 28
Talking scents
May 27
Ketchup or mustard?

Sister Sites · More logic puzzles

Queens
Region logic, daily + 1,500 puzzles
Patches
Region-stitching puzzle
Tango
No 3-in-a-row pattern
Zip
Path-drawing puzzle
Mini Sudoku
Compact sudoku
Strands Unlimited is an independent fan archive of past Strands puzzles. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by The New York Times Company. NYT Strands is a trademark of The New York Times Company. Today's daily puzzle is free at nytimes.com/games/strands.