The breakfast table cleared, the lunch dishes put away, and the dinner plans just forming in our minds – doesn’t that sound like a typical day? Well, in the world of crosswords, a phrase like that often signals something far more intriguing than just a meal schedule. Today, we’re dissecting a particularly clever
crossword clue
that truly exemplifies the genius of puzzle construction: “Breakfast, lunch, and dinner, or what 19-, 31-, and 52-Across literally are.”
If you’re a regular solver, you know the type. This isn’t just any
crossword clue
; it’s a reveal, a master key that unlocks the underlying theme of the entire puzzle. It takes three seemingly disparate long answers hidden within the grid and ties them together with a single, elegant bow. The beauty of such a
crossword clue
lies in its misdirection. Your mind immediately jumps to food, to mealtimes, to culinary categories. But the key phrase here, “literally are,” is the tiny, shining beacon guiding you away from the obvious and towards a deeper, more conceptual classification.
For many of us, encountering a
crossword clue
like this is the highlight of our daily solve. It’s the moment where the pieces click, where the constructor’s brilliance truly shines through. It’s not enough to simply fill in the letters for “Breakfast,” “Lunch,” and “Dinner” (which, by the way, aren’t the answers to 19-, 31-, and 52-Across themselves, but rather the
examples
that lead to the final reveal). No, this particular
crossword clue
demands that you think abstractly, to identify the overarching category that these three concepts collectively represent.
This is the kind of
crossword clue
that separates the casual solver from the true enthusiast. It forces you to consider not just the dictionary definition of words, but their function, their place in a system, or their fundamental nature. It’s a rewarding “aha!” moment when you finally crack it, realizing how perfectly the constructor has woven the theme throughout the puzzle. So, let’s dig into this fascinating
crossword clue
and appreciate the artistry behind it. What
are
breakfast, lunch, and dinner, in the context of what 19-, 31-, and 52-Across literally represent? The answer, as always, is elegantly simple once you see it.
Available Answers:
THREESQUAREMEALS.
Last seen on the crossword puzzle: Washington Post Crossword -Wednesday’s Daily By John Kugelman / Ed. Patti Varol