If you’re reading this, you’re looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times‘ upscale word search game.

Strands requires the player to do a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made up of connected letters – up, down, left, right or diagonally, but words can also change direction, resulting in strange shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid is part of an answer. There is always a theme that connects each solution, along with the “Spangram,” a specific word or phrase that summarizes the theme of the day and extends horizontally or vertically across the entire grid.

By providing an obscure clue rather than a word list, Strands creates a tricky game that takes a little longer to play than its other games like Wordle and Connections.

If you’re stuck or simply don’t have 10 or more minutes to solve today’s puzzle, we’ve got all the NYT Strands tips for today’s puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

NYT Strands clue for today’s topic: Crosswords

These words are combined.

Today’s NYT Strands topic explained clearly

Words are made up of a cross between two other words.

NYT Strands Spangram Note: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today’s NYT Strands Spangram is vertical.

NYT Strand’s Spangram response today

Today’s Spangram is Portmanteaux.

NYT Strands word list for December 16th

• smog

• brunch

• Zorse

• Spork

• anklet

• sport

• Portmanteaux

Are you looking for other daily online games? Mashable’s gaming site has even more clues, and if you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable now has games!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crosswords and more.

Not the day you’re looking for? Here is the solution for yesterday’s strands.