Today’s NYT Strands tips, answers, and help for December 13 #285

Looking for the most recent Strict answer? Click here for our daily Strands hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, and Connections puzzles.

Shake it off, Strands players, today’s puzzle is very easy for fans of a particular musical artist, and will undoubtedly cause bad blood among those who don’t know one era from the other. I’m just going to say it: It’s Taylor Swift Day at Strands, so put on your friendship bracelets and get to fixing it. Here are some tips and the answers.

In this story I will also go into more detail about the rules for Strands.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT Puzzle Hints page.

Read more: NYT Connections turns 1: these are the 5 most difficult puzzles so far

Tip for today’s Strands puzzle

Today’s Strands theme is: One for the Swifties

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: the Tortured Poets department.

Clue words to unlock in-game hints

Your goal is to find hidden words that match the theme of the puzzle. If you’re stuck, find all the words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints, but any words of four or more letters you come across will work:

• EXPENSIVE, VAPORS, LATE, META, FASHION, LOVE, REED, EVER, MORE, MULE, MILE, MOVEMENT, LIME, FOLK, LORE, BLUE

Answers for today’s Strands puzzle

These are the answers that match the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that extends from one side of the puzzle to the other. Once you have them all (I originally thought there were always eight, but have learned the number can vary), then every letter on the board is used. Here are the nonspangram answers:

• LOVER, ALWAYS, FEARLESS, FOLKLORE, MIDNIGHTS

Today’s Strands spangram

Today’s Strands spangram is ALBUM TITLE. To find it, start with A, four letters down in the far left column, and move forward.