Wed Nov 19 12:00:00 UTC 2025: ## FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Strands Sidekick Offers Hints and Community Support for Daily Puzzle
NEW YORK, NY – November 19, 2025 – The New York Times Games has released its daily “Strands Sidekick,” a resource designed to assist players with the popular word puzzle game, Strands. Published online at midnight in each user’s time zone, the Sidekick provides hints, insights, and a forum for players to connect and discuss the day’s puzzle.
The article warns readers of potential spoilers and encourages players to attempt the puzzle independently before consulting the Sidekick. Users can access up to three hints revealing the first letter or direction of travel for theme words.
The New York Times Games team determines the difficulty of each puzzle based on feedback from paid testers. Today’s puzzle is rated as “moderate.” Players are encouraged to share their experiences and difficulty ratings in the comments section, which is moderated for civility.
The article also promotes the New York Times Games’ Instagram account for additional solving tips and behind-the-scenes content. Players can direct feedback to crosswordeditors@nytimes.com, and report bugs through the game’s settings menu. Links to discussions for other NYT Games like Wordle, Connections, and Spelling Bee are also provided.
The “Strands Sidekick” aims to foster a community of word puzzle enthusiasts and provide support for players of all skill levels.
First Piper 