Welcome, fellow puzzlers, to the crossroads of commerce and clever cluing! Today, we’re tackling a crossword clue that sends us back to the mailroom, a place of stamps, scales, and specific shipping jargon. The clue in question is:
“Shipped without prepaid postage, for short.”
This is a classic example of a crossword clue that relies on real-world knowledge, but with a crucial twist. Let’s break down what the puzzle constructor is asking of us. The first part, “Shipped without prepaid postage,” describes a specific scenario. In our modern world of online shopping, we’re accustomed to paying for shipping upfront. You click ‘buy,’ you see the item price, the tax, and the shipping fee all neatly totaled. You pay it all in one go, and the package arrives at your door with nothing more to do.
But this crossword clue describes the opposite situation. Imagine a world, perhaps not so long ago, where the sender could dispatch a parcel without putting a single stamp on it. The understanding was clear: the financial responsibility for that delivery would be handled on the other end. The mail carrier would arrive at the destination not just with a package, but with a bill for the journey it took. The recipient would have to pay the carrier the cost of the postage before they could take possession of their item. It’s a system built on the assumption that the person receiving the package is expecting it and is willing to cover the cost.
Now, we get to the most important part of this particular crossword clue: the qualifier, “for short.” This is the constructor’s signal to you that we are not looking for a long phrase like “postage due” or “recipient pays.” We are on the hunt for an abbreviation, an acronym, or an initialism. The world of business and logistics is filled with these little shortcuts, and they are prime fodder for any crossword puzzle grid. They are concise, often have common letters, and test a specific pocket of your general knowledge.
So, the challenge isn’t just understanding the concept of receiver-paid shipping. The challenge is retrieving that specific, bite-sized term used in the industry. Think about the forms you might fill out at a post office or a term a small business owner might use when invoicing a client for shipping costs. This crossword clue is less about vocabulary and more about the practical language of getting something from Point A to Point B.
As you look at the empty squares in your grid, consider the letter count. Is it a three-letter answer? A four-letter one? The term we’re searching for is a standard, widely understood abbreviation in the world of mail. It’s a simple, elegant shorthand that efficiently communicates a specific financial arrangement. Take another look at the clue, think about the flow of money in a delivery, and the compact term for it should click right into place.
Available Answers:
SENT COD.
Last seen on the crossword puzzle: 1118-25 NY Times Crossword 18 Nov 25, Tuesday