NYT Strands Answers and Hints for December 19, Puzzle #656

Players working through today’s New York Times Strands puzzle encountered a word grid themed around kitchen techniques. Puzzle No. 656, released on December 19, prompted solvers to identify culinary terms related to cutting and chopping—making the challenge especially approachable for home cooks and food enthusiasts.

Strands continues to rise in popularity alongside other NYT daily puzzles, thanks to its blend of vocabulary recall and spatial pattern recognition. Unlike Wordle or Connections, Strands tasks players with locating theme-related words hidden across the grid, with a single long “spangram” connecting both sides of the board.

Theme hint suggests knife skills

Today’s official hint—“On the chopping block”—guided players toward food preparation terminology. The supporting clue, “Knife skills,” reinforced expectations that answers would relate to cutting techniques. Puzzle solvers who regularly cook may have found the categories intuitive, while others relied heavily on in-game hint unlocks.

To reveal hints during gameplay, players must locate any three words of four letters or more. The sample clue words shared through gameplay included MAKE, MAKING, KING, DINE, MICE, LIVE, CHIFFON, and MINE. Any such words trigger hint progression inside the Strands interface.

Answers for Strands #656

Today’s puzzle required finding several culinary cutting terms hidden within the grid. The non-spangram theme answers included:

• CUBE

• JULIENNE

• DICE

• CHIFFONADE

• SLICE

• MINCE

These terms reference foundational knife cuts used in kitchens worldwide. The vocabulary set emphasizes precision in food preparation, reinforcing the educational aspect of the puzzle.

The spangram revealed

The spangram—the long connecting answer stretching across the grid—was MAKINGTHECUT. This multi-word answer tied together the puzzle’s culinary theme with a playfully figurative phrase, offering solvers a satisfying reveal once all smaller words were discovered.

Players reported that once the spangram was identified, the remaining words fell into place more fluidly. However, first locating its starting point—an M positioned three rows down on the far-left side—proved difficult for many.

Growing popularity of Strands puzzles

NYT Games continues to expand its digital puzzle offerings. Strands now sits among reader favorites alongside Wordle, Connections, and the Mini Crossword. The puzzle appeals to language enthusiasts seeking deeper cognitive engagement, as solutions require pattern tracing, vocabulary recall, and spatial reasoning.

Gamers have also praised Strands for encouraging themed word discovery, which can introduce new vocabulary and spark curiosity. In addition, themes frequently reflect everyday life—such as sports, music, or food—creating relevance and replay value.

With today’s puzzle solved, players await tomorrow’s fresh challenge. NYT’s expanding roster of daily games ensures that millions of solvers return each morning to sharpen their language skills and test new strategies.