Welcome back, fellow word nerds and puzzle warriors! There’s nothing quite like that feeling, is there? You’re cruising through your daily
crossword puzzle
, perhaps even feeling a little smug about how quickly you’re filling those squares, and then BAM! You hit a wall. A particularly stubborn
crossword clue
that makes you tilt your head, scribble furiously in the margin, and maybe even question your entire vocabulary.
Today, we’re diving headfirst into one of those delightful little brain-ticklers that combine a bit of real-world knowledge with clever linguistic abbreviation. The
crossword clue
we’re dissecting is: “Bench press targets, for short.”
Now, on the surface, this might seem straightforward enough. Anyone who’s ever stepped foot in a gym, or even just seen a movie with a montage, probably has a good idea of what a bench press is and, more importantly, what it
targets
. But therein lies the subtle trap, and the beauty, of a well-crafted
crossword clue
. It’s not just about knowing the muscle; it’s about knowing how that muscle is commonly
abbreviated
, and ensuring it fits perfectly into the grid.
Think about it for a moment. When you perform a bench press, what are the primary muscle groups engaged? Your mind probably goes straight to the big ones, the ones that get all the glory. But then comes the “for short” part, which is where many a solver finds themselves pausing, perhaps tracing the potential letters with their finger, hoping inspiration strikes. Is it a two-letter abbreviation? Three? Four? The length of the answer slots can be crucial in guiding your thoughts for this type of
crossword clue
.
These types of
crossword clues
are fantastic because they often bridge different fields of knowledge. You need a little bit of anatomy, a dash of common colloquialism or formal abbreviation, and of course, that ever-present crossword-solver’s intuition. It’s not just about recalling a definition; it’s about translating a concept into its most compact, widely recognized form. This particular
crossword clue
challenges you to consider the everyday language we use to describe these specific muscles, especially in a fitness context.
Did you immediately think of the most obvious answer, or did your mind wander through other possibilities? Perhaps you considered some of the secondary muscles involved, only to realize they didn’t quite fit the “for short” criteria or the usual conventions of
crossword puzzles
. That’s the sign of a truly great
crossword clue
– it leads you down a few plausible paths before gently guiding you toward the
exact
one the puzzle constructor had in mind. It’s a dance between the literal and the succinct.
We’ve all been there, staring at a partially filled grid, with just this one stubble
crossword clue
blocking our path to completion. The satisfaction of finally cracking it is immense, isn’t it? It’s not just solving a puzzle; it’s a small victory for your mental agility. So, let’s peel back the layers on “Bench press targets, for short” and unravel the cleverness behind it.
Ready to see how this particular
crossword clue
fits into the grand scheme of things? Stick around, because we’re about to reveal the perfect solution and why it’s the ideal fit for your
crossword puzzle
!
Available Answers:
PECS.
Last seen on the crossword puzzle: Washington Post Crossword -Friday’s Daily By Wayne Bergman / Ed. Patti Varol