Issue #785 Tue 11 Nov
Strands hints — November 11, 2025
Today's grid requires a bit of patience as the letters begin to reveal their connections. Expect a steady climb through the alphabet as you untangle the various threads presented.
Theme 3 reveals
Today's theme
You take the same route home and a single door is open that's never open.
Classical literature and ancient moral storytelling
MORALIZING ANCIENT DUOS
Spangram 4 nudges · 10 letters
The connector word
Compound of two distinct nouns
10 letters.
Starts with F, ends with R.
FABLEDPAIR
Group hint 1 reveal
Show all starting letters
Starting letters
- 1 B (4 letters)
- 2 C (5 letters)
- 3 G (4 letters)
- 4 H (4 letters)
- 5 L (4 letters)
- 6 M (5 letters)
- 7 T (8 letters)
- 8 W (4 letters)
Group hint 1 reveal
Show the first two letters of each
First two letters
- 1 BU (4 letters)
- 2 CR (5 letters)
- 3 GN (4 letters)
- 4 HA (4 letters)
- 5 LI (4 letters)
- 6 MO (5 letters)
- 7 TO (8 letters)
- 8 WO (4 letters)
Theme word 1 of 8 5 nudges · 4 letters
A theme word
Look for the heavy animal that lowers its head before a charge in the pasture.
4 letters.
Starts with B.
Starts with BU.
BULL
Theme word 2 of 8 5 nudges · 5 letters
A theme word
Observe the tall, long-legged bird standing perfectly still in the marsh.
5 letters.
Starts with C.
Starts with CR.
CRANE
Theme word 3 of 8 5 nudges · 4 letters
A theme word
A tiny, buzzing nuisance that seems to appear right at your ear while you try to sleep.
4 letters.
Starts with G.
Starts with GN.
GNAT
Theme word 4 of 8 5 nudges · 4 letters
A theme word
A fast creature that rests in the tall grass and relies on speed to escape danger.
4 letters.
Starts with H.
Starts with HA.
HARE
Theme word 5 of 8 5 nudges · 4 letters
A theme word
The king of the savannah whose roar carries across the plains at dusk.
4 letters.
Starts with L.
Starts with LI.
LION
Theme word 6 of 8 5 nudges · 5 letters
A theme word
A small, quiet scavenger that darts behind the baseboards when it hears a footstep.
5 letters.
Starts with M.
Starts with MO.
MOUSE
Theme word 7 of 8 5 nudges · 8 letters
A theme word
A slow-moving traveler that carries its protective home on its back.
8 letters.
Starts with T.
Starts with TO.
TORTOISE
Theme word 8 of 8 5 nudges · 4 letters
A theme word
The pack hunter that howls at the moon from the edge of the dark forest.
4 letters.
Starts with W.
Starts with WO.
WOLF